Part 2:
OFFICIAL QCP FILES
Topic: Battle at the Equator.
Author: Del Ford.
Mission Personnel: Bantinos, Criss Sallis, Elena Divine, Lars Ember, Jimmy Sherman, Proogg.
* The methodology for this report consisted of interviews with the QCP personnel.
** Due to this method of collection, gaps and vagaries may exist within the narrative.
The team travelled into the rainforest via QCP hovercraft.
Soon the thick brush forced them on foot if they wished to retain the element of surprise.
The jungle vegetation made for a slow advance.
There was no easy way to expedite the rate of entry.
Magma blasts from Lars might have started a massive fire.
Jimmy’s magic whistle was being saved for later.
Machetes in hand, they chopped through the bush and marched slowly toward their destination.
Elena experienced a vision, a dark one, and she fought to ignore it.
For visions can mean many things.
And not all are even true.
She acknowledged it, but did not let herself begin to dwell.
Choosing to focus on the moment before her, and how best to serve her teammates.
Topic: Battle at the Equator.
Author: Del Ford.
Mission Personnel: Bantinos, Criss Sallis, Elena Divine, Lars Ember, Jimmy Sherman, Proogg.
* The methodology for this report consisted of interviews with the QCP personnel.
** Due to this method of collection, gaps and vagaries may exist within the narrative.
The team travelled into the rainforest via QCP hovercraft.
Soon the thick brush forced them on foot if they wished to retain the element of surprise.
The jungle vegetation made for a slow advance.
There was no easy way to expedite the rate of entry.
Magma blasts from Lars might have started a massive fire.
Jimmy’s magic whistle was being saved for later.
Machetes in hand, they chopped through the bush and marched slowly toward their destination.
Elena experienced a vision, a dark one, and she fought to ignore it.
For visions can mean many things.
And not all are even true.
She acknowledged it, but did not let herself begin to dwell.
Choosing to focus on the moment before her, and how best to serve her teammates.
ELENA DIVINE: I notice you do not use your blade to cut the brush. Why leave it holstered so?
BANTINOS: I would never disrespect my sword like that.
ELENA: You are wise to regard it with care. Yet as I have cautioned before, it is not truly alive, not in the same way as living things. And it is not your equal.
BAN: I defer to your arcane knowledge. But the Sword de la Vasquay is a benevolent talisman.
ELENA: Charmed items can affect a user’s soul. As you know, my mother was destroyed by a magic item. My family history is a sad testament to power gone awry.
BAN: Your concern is noted, but please end this line of thinking.
ELENA: I recall you were quite the ladies’ man when you joined the team. Those days seem to have ended. Do you wonder why?
BAN: I was a man thrust into fame. I’ve matured. And frankly, these aspersions you toss around are beginning to make me angry.
ELENA: Are those your feelings or does the blade color your thoughts?
BAN: Let us table this topic for now.
ELENA: As you say.
BANTINOS: I would never disrespect my sword like that.
ELENA: You are wise to regard it with care. Yet as I have cautioned before, it is not truly alive, not in the same way as living things. And it is not your equal.
BAN: I defer to your arcane knowledge. But the Sword de la Vasquay is a benevolent talisman.
ELENA: Charmed items can affect a user’s soul. As you know, my mother was destroyed by a magic item. My family history is a sad testament to power gone awry.
BAN: Your concern is noted, but please end this line of thinking.
ELENA: I recall you were quite the ladies’ man when you joined the team. Those days seem to have ended. Do you wonder why?
BAN: I was a man thrust into fame. I’ve matured. And frankly, these aspersions you toss around are beginning to make me angry.
ELENA: Are those your feelings or does the blade color your thoughts?
BAN: Let us table this topic for now.
ELENA: As you say.
LARS EMBER: We’re closing in on something. Just past the ridge and that clearing, I think.
CRISS SALLIS: Proogg, did you hear what Lars said? We’re almost near our target.
PROOGG: Talk, talk, talk! What about food? When is food time?
CRISS: You’re hungry?
PROOGG: Me sick of waiting! Proogg want something to eat.
JIMMY SHERMAN: I’ll get you a snack. Beef jerky in my pack.
PROOGG: Me say thank you, Jimmy.
BAN: Fine manners, my friend, but please keep your voice down. We can’t be too loud.
LARS: OK, we’re getting close to our quarry; I’m guessing up that rise to the east.
BAN: That looks like a tight path. I can do recon and report back.
LARS: Just observe the scene. We need to confront this is a full unit. Gather as much intel as you can, we’ll wait here until you –
PROOGG: Where is mustard? Me like mustard! Jimmy bring some?
CRISS: Proogg, this is serious, you need to focus. Remember? What is focus?
PROOGG: Focus means listen. Focus means pay attention.
JIMMY: We’ll all go to Boyle’s Pier when we get home, we’ll get those crunchy pretzels with the mustard that you like. We can even get ice cream.
PROOGG: Me love ice cream! But … no ice cream out here. No ice cream stand in jungle.
CRISS: That’s very good, Proogg. No ice cream out here.
CRISS SALLIS: Proogg, did you hear what Lars said? We’re almost near our target.
PROOGG: Talk, talk, talk! What about food? When is food time?
CRISS: You’re hungry?
PROOGG: Me sick of waiting! Proogg want something to eat.
JIMMY SHERMAN: I’ll get you a snack. Beef jerky in my pack.
PROOGG: Me say thank you, Jimmy.
BAN: Fine manners, my friend, but please keep your voice down. We can’t be too loud.
LARS: OK, we’re getting close to our quarry; I’m guessing up that rise to the east.
BAN: That looks like a tight path. I can do recon and report back.
LARS: Just observe the scene. We need to confront this is a full unit. Gather as much intel as you can, we’ll wait here until you –
PROOGG: Where is mustard? Me like mustard! Jimmy bring some?
CRISS: Proogg, this is serious, you need to focus. Remember? What is focus?
PROOGG: Focus means listen. Focus means pay attention.
JIMMY: We’ll all go to Boyle’s Pier when we get home, we’ll get those crunchy pretzels with the mustard that you like. We can even get ice cream.
PROOGG: Me love ice cream! But … no ice cream out here. No ice cream stand in jungle.
CRISS: That’s very good, Proogg. No ice cream out here.
LARS: Yes, excellent, your Ivy League application is being processed as we speak. Now can get back to the matter at hand?
PROOGG: Me sorry.
LARS: Bantinos, you know the drill. Call for help if needed. Good luck.
He departed into the brush.
CRISS: I do not like him going alone.
JIMMY: He is trained for this. Right? We should trust his skills.
PROOGG: Bantinos smart!
When finally returning thirty minutes later, his startled face set everyone on edge.
ELENA: What did you see? Are you all right? What are we up against?
BAN: Things scuttling in the sunlight. Creatures neither animal nor plant.
JIMMY: Were they intelligent?
BAN: Intelligent? I cannot say. But the jungle has new life this day. The jungle is alive … alive with evil.
PROOGG: Me sorry.
LARS: Bantinos, you know the drill. Call for help if needed. Good luck.
He departed into the brush.
CRISS: I do not like him going alone.
JIMMY: He is trained for this. Right? We should trust his skills.
PROOGG: Bantinos smart!
When finally returning thirty minutes later, his startled face set everyone on edge.
ELENA: What did you see? Are you all right? What are we up against?
BAN: Things scuttling in the sunlight. Creatures neither animal nor plant.
JIMMY: Were they intelligent?
BAN: Intelligent? I cannot say. But the jungle has new life this day. The jungle is alive … alive with evil.