Oct 24 18:28:30 109 PA - Mapping and Learning to Navigate a Refuge
From Chronicles
Oct 24 18:28:30 109 PA.
WILDERNESS REFUGE
The morning is just breaking on a beautiful day in late October. At the moment, the refuge that Gabriel found northwest of Kingsdale is quiet - it wasn't, about thirty minutes ago when he arrived once more in the large and loud Diplodicus. Friday seems to be enjoying herself, currently chasing after a family of squirrels that has deigned to cross the ridge where there two of them are sited. The new map of the area that had been drawn up by Rubidia has been optically enlarged and printed on a map that covers most of the hood, and he's carefully unfolding what might be an amateur-brand 'general navigation' hobby kit.
There is the telltale rustle of someone coming in on foot to signal Rubidia's arrival. The way she covers the miles she must go through shoes like mad. On the other hand she may be the only woman to legitimately own a closet full of them.. She comes up on the six wheeler and nods to Gabriel. "Heya, ready to get this place staked out?"
Smiling, Gabriel looks ready to crack a joke about female athletes, but keeps it to himself. "Ready," he confirms happily. His hand taps the hood near the little box of equipment. "Didn't know if this would help or not. Already had the compass - the points of the compass type. Guy said this was also a compass. Got a metal ruler. Magnifying glass. Got the binoculars." He waves to the box, "Check it out while I get the stakes out of the back." Opening one of the rear doors, his torso momentarily disappears.
Rubidia is indeed checking it out right away, taking a pencil and a ruler to mark the initial lines and angles much like she did before. "To make this easier, and cheaper, I'm going to show you how to take the bearings so that you can do half and I can do half. That way even if I have to correct most of yours it'll go a lot faster." She explains.
"Okay," Gabriel says as he stands out of the door, slamming it with his ass. He holds a bundle of sixteen stakes, exactly as instructed - plus three more which he explains as, "Never hurts to have extra, in case something breaks, right?" They're set down so that they lean against the car and he peeks at the map. "So... I see the boundary that you laid out, and the spring we marked. What next?"
"Well to determine your exact location you need three lines. Two is alright if you have to, three is best," Rubidia starts to explain as she marks the first point for a stake. She points out the three peaks she marked last time. "You also want those three lines as widely spaced as possible. So given that a circle has 360 degrees, 120 degrees between each line is ideal. But anything over 60 degrees is manageable," she continues, penciling lines from the peaks to the stake point. "So now we measure these angles for magnetic north. Compasses are magnetic, but maps usually use true north. So we have to do a conversion. Simple enough we can do that by finding our current location and extrapolating the angle difference from compass to map.." She says, perhaps going to fast..
Nope, not too fast. Gabriel is following along well enough. Well enough to ask, "I was told that I needed to know declination, if I wanted to be accurate. But then the guy took my money and didn't explain anything further." He taps the magnetic compass. "Triangulation, I remember the term, that it let the ship's navigators and radio locators find things, but I don't recall how it was done. So this is all necessary to stake it out? I mean, I can see right where this thing has to go, unless they're going to measure down to the foot. Right over there. Err.. no, wait.."
Rubidia nods to the mention of declination. and points to the map's compass for its declination variation. "Here's the declination right here for you, plus x degrees each year. But not all maps have those so it's always good to know how to figure it out otherwise." She explains, keeping on track, and taking the compass. So we know that magnetically, these peaks are at 304, 89, and 198," she explains, now marking those angles on a scrap piece of paper. "See how these three lines intersect, like pieces of a pie. Well our location is in the middle of the pie. So we take these angles to the map as they are and line them up so that each points at the correct peak and we get our location on the map for true north," she explains, marking the location on the map. "Then just a simple measure of the map's angle to the peak and we see that by using the two our declination is 12.5 degrees east," she finishes, finally nodding to Gabriel about the importance of accuracy. "You think so now, and it's not illogical. What gets illogical is five years from now when some pig farmer is claiming that you're using his land. To disprove that you have to be exact. So we're being exact not to save you hassle later."
Gabriel follows along, nodding. Slower and slower. Then eventually stopping, but allowing Rubidia to continue the lesson before backing it up. "Hold on, wait. I get these lines, they got swung out from the compass. But what's being compared against what on the map? We can't just hold up the map and look at where things are, that's what I already know how to do." He pokes the map. "So where'd those lines come from, if I really need true north? Besides," he observes, "If everybody knows what magnetic north is in this spot anyway, why fuss around with true north? Seems like a lot of work." *SIGH* "But, it's obviously necessary. You'll need to slow down, though. I see peaks, I see lines... I see that I don't know what to do with these stakes," he says, almost kicking the pile.
Rubidia chuckles lightly. "I haven’t gotten to the stakes yet, but it's getting a lot easier by letting me figure this all out here on the map. The reason why maps use true north is because magnetic north changes all the time. That’s also why I derived the declination from scratch, because the more accurate this is the better. So we now know how to go from magnetic north to true north and back again. How do we place the stakes? Well it's easy enough. We measure out the angles here on the map and convert them to magnetic," she explains, now drawing three lines that center on the first stake location. She writes down the angle and the math for the declination before writing down the magnetic angles on a separate notepad. "Now to place this first stake all you need to do is travel to the location where these three peaks are at these three angles on your compass. That’s where the stake goes."
"That seems like a lot of work for something unnecessarily precise," Gabriel observes. "My own eyes are going to have enough error that someone could come out with a machine and map it better than my feet can. I'll need to look over how to find declination again later, I don't get it. Still." He picks up his simple magnetic compass. It's not even digital. It's from 1959, it has an anti-flash coating, and it's perfectly functional. "Okay. So, this way." He grabs the pile of stakes, peers at the map then with his compass held up to his face, starts walking west.
Rubidia laughs as Gabriel starts walking the compass line. "That will take all day silly," she corrects, catching up to him quickly. "This is the angle you're closest to from here, get it right where you want, then walk, or fly, in that direction until the other peaks are close to lining up. You can place a stake in under and hour once you got the system down. Find the closest angle, then zip along that line until angles two and three are close too. Place the stake were all three angles match what I gave you. While you place that first one I’ll map out the rest," she says, turning to return to the map again.
Gabriel stops in his tracks and allows his hand with the compass to fall to his side. "Huh? We're just staking the perimeter, right? Is there something closer than walking a straight line?" Then he smiles and smirks, "I didn't bring the 'pack today, so I'm afraid that flight is out. But truly, you're talking about the pig farmer - he's going to have someone different with a map walking to eyeball an angle to place a stake in a general spot. Whose to say his feet aren't six feet off of where I'm walking?" The old man grumbles a few times, and starts walking off in the direction indicated.
From the direction of the high crags a small dot could be noticed that becomes bigger as it comes flying closer, eventually that dot turns into a person. Soon that person gains features. Sithik flies silently just under the treetops once down the mountain heading across the area, probably towards the city.
"The pig farmer can claim whatever he wants about it. Point is, if you place the stakes as I'm instructing, you will be right and he will be wrong. Right is right, right?" Rubidia notes over the radio as she looks over the map to measure out the other 15 angle sets. She's working on the hood of Gabriel's truck, which is parked near the south border of the soon-to-be refugee area.
The only response of the radio is an amused grunt. Who may know what Gabriel's response was intended to be? Or not intended to be. He keeps walking, a good steady pace that he'd learned decades ago. At least he took off knowing that in hilly areas, distances are longer than they look. If someone flew overhead, he apparently missed it. "I think I'm getting close. You want me to set the next one after this, right? Looked like just turn north from here. Y'know, Sage also mentioned that you'd talked about growing houses here." *GRUNT* "There we go." A couple of knocking noises are likely to be heard, as he ends up using the hilt of his vibro-knife to drive the stake home, having forgotten to bring a hammer.
Sithik is coming in from the north, headed southward. It's not long that he comes to pass Rubidia on the hood of Gabriel's vehicle, causing him to slow and drift overhead curious about the woman and the vehicle, neither have been seen before. Calling out landing within a nearby tree, "Hello."
Rubidia turns, startled by the sudden hello in the middle of nowhere. Her greeter may not see that however as she bursts into light as bright as the sun. Not blinding anyone, but uncomfortable to stare at for sure. This may make it difficult to see her looking directly at the greeter now. "Um hi," she manages, Gabriel's call momentarily on hold.
After the stake is pounded in, Gabriel does his best to turn and find his way to the next one.
Sithik raises an arm to shield his eyes from the bright light, head slightly turned so not to stare directly at her, "That is an interesting trick. You can dim a bit, no need to worry unless you're part of that Brotherhood in Kingsdale. Mind if I ask what you're doing here?" a curious inquisitive tone to his words.
"I'm gonna keep the lights on if it's all the same to you. Sorry for the inconvenience but I feel much more comfortable addressing a stranger in the woods this way," Rubidia replies before gesturing to the map on the truck's hood, which is probably difficult to see right now with her beside it. "I'm helping Gabriel map this area. Do you happen to be an acquaintance of his?"
This time, as Gabriel stops to take a sighting on a peak and reorient himself, he opens communications with Rubidia again. "Ruby? You still there, or did you steal my car to leave me to fend for myself?" He starts walking again, there are more stakes to go and lots of ground to cover before the sun goes down.
Sithik nods in reply, his arm still up to protect from the glare, "Yes, I would say we are acquaintances. Is he around here somewhere?" his gaze taking a look around which gives his eyes a break from the light.
"Should be nearly two miles west, let me check in with him," Rubidia replies before keying her headset. "Gabriel a very large man with many tattoos has flow in to find me at your truck. He says you and he are acquaintances. You know someone of that look?" she asks into the radio to get that cleared.
The radio is quickly double-clicked, a common military procedure to acknowledge a call without staying anything. Then there's a period of silence. "Yeah, I know someone of that look," comes Gabriel's voice rather flatly and without emotion. "Name's Sithik, and he's a very strong fellow. Is there a problem?" He makes no comment as to where he is, what he's doing, or what he intends to do. The radio just falls silent.
Sithik smiles when Gabriel's voice answers the call, "That's right, I'm Sithik. I won't keep you two from your work. Just let him know I'll see him soon, we never got the chance to chat on the Thunder Lizard hunt. Good luck on the mapping." And with that he lifts off and flies southward once again, gaining speed quite rapidly.
"Um he was just here being friendly like, but startled me. He had to go but mentioned a Thunder Lizard hunt," Rubidia explains before regathering herself. "How are you making out? I'm en route with the 7 other angle sets, should be there in 3-5 minutes," Rubidia says before taking off west to catch up to Gabriel. She stays lit, just in case.
There's a significant pause before Gabriel calls back. "Ah, had a little trouble, I went back and reset the second stake. You need to check when we're done, but I think it's in the right spot. But Sithik?" There's dead air once more. "He's not there anymore?"
"Nope." Rubidia answers with certainty, one of that advantages of sight like hers. Another is that she doesn’t need a compass to correct Gabriel's stake laying. She arrives at his first and quickly moves it to where it should be, using her Wilk's Laser Sword to cut a snug hole. After which she continues on to catch up to Gabriel.
As he continues on at the second stake that he'd just stopped to turn and reset, Gabriel isolates a frequency that he'd recognized Rubidia's radio set at. "Okay, he's gone. Good. You haven't been watching the news, I guess, or you would've recognized him. I don't know the story, I don't know if he's right or wrong, all I know is what I've seen, and everyone else has seen. He's been killing people unprovoked. Did it just the other day at the picnic, apparently. It was all over channel five. So I'm glad he's gone, and I hope that he stays off my land." Yeah, he's already using a possessive.
"That was the guy from the news? I hadn’t realized, as I wasn’t lit up when I watched the news.." Rubidia notes, suppressing the shiver from having just missed an encounter with a murderer. She catches up with him before further radio is necessary, handing over a notepad and shaking her head at the current placement of the second stake. "You can't just go west from the first stake, as your compass tells you magnetic west. We need true west," she explains, moving the stake about 60 feet to get the right spot. "And you can't just go north from here, because we need true north," she points out before checking the map. She lets her light back down before approaching Gabriel to hand over the rest of the coordinate sets. "Ok from here go at 348 degrees for a mile, then check for your next coordinate set. 348 should keep you on true north for the next 3 stakes, just check the angles every mile and place your stake. Then for the last two stakes turn to 78 degrees."
Gabriel stops and tilts his head sideways, smiling to ask in a friendly way, "Seriously? You're joking, right?" Pointing at the moved stake, he suggests, "My eye versus the exact top of the peak against my compass, versus a few thousand feet even read off of the other three peaks, and you're going to claim that you can really come out here and move that stake sixty feet." He chuckles, patting his own chest. "My eyes aren't good enough to nail the exact tops of those peaks to put myself within that kind of accuracy, with what you and I are holding right now as far as instruments." There's a sigh, and he returns to doing the staking. "This seems more like cartography and surveying than navigating. But, I defer to your expertise. That way it is." The compass is held up as instructed, and he starts walking. "So, as I was going to say, I'm wondering about those tree houses, and maybe raising a little money."
"Because both those trades are based on these principles?" Rubidia asks with a shake of her head. "So long as you stick to them you'll be close enough to save me a lot of time. Your first stake was only 10 feet off. I prefer 10 over 60. So do pig farmers," she points out before shrugging at the question. "Better to ask your Tolkeen associates if such a thing is really possible or practical. All I know is it works well back home, and trees you have no shortage of."
Gabriel keeps his eyes on his instruments. "Have you ever actually met a pig farmer? I grew up with one in our little town." Step, step, step. "Please, tell me about the trees. Even just in your homeland. Do they have water? Electricity? Things people would expect?" As they continue on, he turns slowly to look at Rubidia. "I have no associates with Tolkeen, only one man I've spoken to. And I'm currently of the mind to be inclined to simply buy this land as my own, and call it a sanctuary for everyone. I don't want to build a new Tolkeen, but I'll give refuge and safe harbor to anyone who needs it, as long as they can do it peacefully and all get along."
"Stubborn and dirty, not the sort of person you want to argue with," Rubidia answers with a nod before shrugging again. "The ones back home do. Well not electricity, but food, water, light, and heat. Don’t think you can grow trees here to have that. But mages can just magic all that stuff anyway no?"
After a loud laugh, Gabriel turns his gaze Ruby, "You're asking *me* if mages can do that stuff? I have no idea. Every day they come up with some new reason to be weird. But, maybe if you and they can get together, and I can sit down, we can all talk it out and try to figure out what they need. I'll admit, I'd feel more personally comfortable with homes on flat or raised foundations, but I know I need to change with the times, so to speak." He remains silent for a while as they continue on. "So there's that. A newer vision of the land. But I took your map to the city when I grabbed these stakes, and they want twice as much money as I actually have in my bank account. Even if I cashed out everything I own and sold the business, I wouldn't have enough. Seeing as how it's prime land that people would want, that's a problem, as I want to make sure I buy it first."
"And they won't pay for it or you don’t want them to pay for it?" Rubidia asks on the radio as she moves off to do her side of the perimeter so they can meet again somewhere in the middle.
Moving on himself, Gabriel replies, "I don't want them to pay for it. Anybody else pays for it, they'll want a say in how it's run. Fund raisers, things like that, that would be fine. People could feel good about it but not reasonably expect to have a voice. But I don't want the folks from Tolkeen getting together and putting up some money to cover one red cent. Or any other large and specific group." One might hear him shrug. "I just need some kind people to donate en masse to my account. Two-hundred and fifty big ones. Wouldn't be pretty, but it'd be enough to call this place legally mine. How's your stake going?"
It takes Rubidia about ten minutes to get back to where her first stakes to be placed. But after that she's placing one every five minute like clockwork. "Well they might see it that if they can't contribute to this then they don’t get a say in how it's managed. Which might make them want to go elsewhere. Not that they have to contribute everything though. Maybe a three way split between them, yourself and fund raising?" She offers over the comm.
Continuing to walk toward his next target location, Gabriel offers over the radio, "If my name's going to be the one on the paper, then I want to be the one who gets to say how it's managed. I'm not going to slap my name on something, then give other people free reign to walk all over me because of who they think they are and what they believe they're entitled to. Not going to expect some kind of ransom from them to live here, just the propriety to manage it. Not a daily management, either. Just general rules." He silently shrugs again. "Sure, if they want to kick in a few dollars, that would be fine. I'd take... up to fifty grand from them, and still not have to feel like I owe them something. But the rest I need to get some other way. A big dinner. Presidential party. Carnival. Something to get in a lot of people to pay a little each. Best way to integrate a value like that." Integrate? Hmm, maybe that's something else that got knocked out of his head just peeking through. Or maybe he heard it on the news last night and thought he'd try it out.
"Rules are fine, but you should make sure your tenants are ok with said rules before you go through a great deal of expense on their behalf," Rubidia notes as she places another stake. "But if they are ok with it, I could hold a concert to raise the funds you desire."
Gabriel's head might be heard to nod. "I know, tenants would want to be okay with rules. Which is why I don't want to go to any expense on their behalf, I want to buy this entirely on my own.. behalf. Then I can turn it into a sanctuary for anyone looking and needing some peace. It would be great if you could raise the funds for it," he says emphatically. "But would you be willing to do it if it would *technically* be only for me? Perhaps not in actual function, but in legality and intent?"
Rubidia places another stake before her reply, showing she's taken some time to consider. "It's not a matter of whether I would do it to technically support you. But whether the audience would come for that. I won't say it's for the refugees if it's really not. That would be ruinous to my reputation if it got out. So the cause has to be clear and honest. And it has to be one people are ready to support. Also, the performance would potentially be much farther reaching with help from those of Tolkeen."
Over on his side of the land, Gabriel is grimacing. "Maybe I'll bring them out here for the little talk they want, first. Or I can even buy the *best* half of the land right now, straight out. I just worry that if I start up a New Tolkeen of some kind, it'll be creating more trouble than supplying displaced people with someplace to live."
"Maybe they'll create trouble regardless of the part you play. Maybe that will end up being a good thing. You can't predict every outcome Gabriel. And as much as you may want to be in complete control over this land, you're not. So knowing what you want is out of reach, work with what you will accept," Rubidia advises before going silent for the remaining stakes
"Perhaps we can talk about the concert later, Ruby. I'd like to get it, I know that people are going to cause trouble no matter what happens," Gabriel admits. "I'm not a fool. But the more that you can point to as evidence, the better it can be. Meet you at the car. You *have* to ride home with me." He clicks off the radio, not wanting an argument - whether or not she's there when he arrives.
