Tue Oct 20 07:02:01 108 PA Tri-top Hunt Part 3

From Chronicles

It's just before daybreak after the battle with the Ostersaurus' just that last evening. Some went back to sleep, some others did not. Flood lights were left on all night and the noise from the dinosaurs screeching kept some of those who went back to sleep, from getting a good night sleep.

Bart had no trouble catching a few ZZZZ's through the last of the night, but he did stay up for a good portion of the night afterwards, only napping because he knew he should.

Cleatus and his boys are doing checks on the dunebuggys, making sure they are in tip top shape for todays run.

As for Pavel, blacksmiths aren't usually called upon to rise early, and he's gotten used to sleeping until the sun warms his face. Thus it is that while he technically awakens, and even begins to settle some of his things back into his pack, he remains on the ground, leaning against the tree, and piled dirt and moss that he'd collected for a mattress. The dinosaurs were supposed to be slow, anyway.

Valeriya seems to be doing a lot of resting on this hunt so far. And seeing as she was resting when the attack came she decides to stay up for a while before taking a bit of a nap. As such she isnt expected to feel so guilty about sleeping while people died. She does urge everyone else who used more energy than her to recoup what they can though.

Rasputin gets up just at day break, and begins to make breakfast for everyone. He was able to get about 5 hours of rest last night, after making quick work of the two Ostersaurus. He is making pancakes, eggs, bacon, and few other odds and ends. Of course enough food to feed a small army, minus two.

The breakfast is appreciated, but the mood of the workers and cowboys is low, as it should be. Still, they eat quick and get back to the work at hand. It doesn't take long before everyone is ready to head out to meet the herd.

Bart eats quick as well, not wasting anytime, "Thanks for all the kitchen duty Ras, best field cook I've had the pleasure to share a camp with." Finished his meal he gathers his things needed and goes about the camp to dole out grenades. "These are Triax stun grenades. Toss em as you want too."

Pavel is up now, over at the table attempting to help with the meal... and failing miserably. He might eat it, but no one else. Probably even got in the way. << Sorry, Rasputin. Thanks for the breakfast. >> He walks away sheepishly, holding out a hand to see if he receives any of the stun grenades. Remaining in the mindset that speaking causes more confision than necessary, he says only, "Pavel cahn szroh grehnaheeds."

Valeriya shows no qualms with the wide slection of carbon enriched cuisine. Like the night before she takes a few plates over the course of her meal and finds a place on her belt for the grenades. She also takes some time to sort her c-5 clips so they alternat between stun and concussion grenades.

Rasputin begins to clean up, and sets the loaned stun grenades on the table. He again cleans everything down, till it is all spotless and pours any gray water into a strainer into a freshly dug pit. He covers it up, so as to secure it from most passing noses. He then puts everything away. Everything, save for the tent and tables, are ready for immediate evacuation if needed. He comes back to the tables and looks over the grenades, "Mink net goodink dith these, but I'll take in case." His Russian accient makes a even more funny sound as he puts on the helmet of the armor, "Buttink you will net be offended if I net use, da?" He slides a fresh e-clip into his pistol and double checks his other weaponry he is carrying.

With everything ready to go, Cleatus comes over to the Bart's team, "A'right, who's on the rail guns, and who's just ridin?"

Bart raises his hand a bit, "I'll handle the gun on your ride, if it turns out we need to use it." a smile going to all the wizards after last nights display. "Anyone else wanna play with a big gun?" he chuckles.

"Pavel cahn leeft beeg gohn. No half traheen so fohr shoot good, szo." The big blacksmith offers his assistance, after all, the prey that they're hunting is apparently significantly larger than what he was able to hit with a hammer the previous evening. "Boot Pavel veel go vehr tell fohr go." His own rifle and hammers are ready to flow wherever needed.

Valeriya declines the gun, prefering her own. Instead she starts to set up on one of the rides, making herself comfortable and secure so she can gestures to cast, throw, and shoot as needed.

Rasputin declines as well. He just looks for a ride down into the vally. He has his helmet secured and has his fireball firing shotgun out and ready. "Da, who will be givink mink ride?" He chuckles and thinks to himself about how this may go down.

Cleatus, Joe and Darryl are the three drivers. Bart loads up with Cleatus, "Ok, Pavel, you ride with Joe and Val over there. Ras you ride with us." Cleatus smiles with the last thing being sorted out, "Sounds good, one of our guys'll go with Darryl."

With everyone loaded up, the train of vehicles heads along the ridge to meet the herd, if everything worked out as planned. The Dunebuggy's lead the pack in a single file along the ridge, the big trucks slowly following behind. The ridge at one time was a road, but now, through all the erosion, it is a dangerous narrow path. The slopes to either side aren't sheer cliffs, but steep enough that a fall would be a tumble down a long hill.

Pavel fastens his giant hammer and his pulse rifle across his back, and makes sure that the few things that he keeps in his combat belt are properly set before placing his helmt on his head. He looks at the gas mask, then tosses it back toward his pile of things waiting to be gathered after the hunt. However, his blacksmith's goggles fit on nicely to protect from any splinters. After climbing into the vehicle and looking for his spot, he hefts the rail gun, trying a couple of different grips befor he seems to settle on one. "Pavel ees fohr shoot... ohnly vehn leezahrds ees trohble, da?"

As everyone loads up Valeriya slips her helmet on and conpletes her armor's blendi9ng effect with her surroundings. Moot riding with others, but it doesnt appear to be a feature she can turn on or off. Her rifle is set down, ready to be taken up if needed, her reload c-5 is in hand. She's ready when everyone else is.

Rasputin gets into the buggy which was designated for himself. He sets the shotgun on his lap and is all ready to go. He has it on a sling, so he can flip it onto his back easy enough, but it is ready to shoulder right now.

Jaxain had already agreed to wield a rail gun with the ranchers, and so decides that is the best path for him. "Ok, loaded up and ready to go!"

Joe looks back to the big blacksmith, "Just use it on the lil ones. The calves. It's a single shot dart gun for the most part. Just holds lotta darts." Its just when he says this that the road gives way underneath the buggy. Joe tries to compensate for the loss of the road underneath him, but without traction it just ain't happening. Cleatus is able to avoid the now missing section of the path by gunning it to grind up the upslope around it, but Darryl isn't as quick and also slides down the hill. The train of trucks halt stretched down the trail.

Both vehicles roll down the hill on their sides, like a log rolling down a hill. They finally come to rest roughly 15 feet down the side of the slope on their roofs upside down. Its a slow roll, people don't get hurt, just jostled around and left hanging in their seats if seat belted in. Unclear the damage to the vehicles though at this point.

Horses don't have seat belts, and to this point in time, Pavel has traveled almost exclusively by horse, on foot, or at best by sitting in the back of a truck. He gets banged around pretty well on the way down the hill, muttering some quiet curses in Russian. However, he does have the benefit of being big and beefy, a body used to being battered around and absorbing impacts. When the vehicle finally comes to a halt upside down, he's laying face down on what had been the roof, or dirt, if it hadn't been entirely enclosed. As he starts to regain himself, someone nearby might catch on the wind, "So no fohr good ohmen fohr hoont, stahrt laheek szees. Peepohl ees ohkay?"

Valeriya is also cursing, though good luck guising the dialect. She wasnt strapped in to make the shooting and casting easier. Everyone is damn lucky her c-5's hair trigger did not go off in the tumble and leave them even more out of sorts. Grunting she takes it all in as the come to a rest and appreciates that she did think to put her helmet on. Then waits for Pavel to get off of her.

Rasputin of course, being a very firm supporter in security and correctness was strapped into his seat. His shotgun was also secured around his arm. So, hanging in an odd directly, pops his seat belt and lands in a huff. He checks himself first, then looks around, "Da, dis everyones OK?" He speaks out through the armor's speaker.

Darryl and Jax crawl there way out of the one vehicle, the cowboy is a bit dazed and confused from the tumble. Joe unclips his belt and controls his fall to the roof best he can and crawls out of his vehicle cursing. Cleatus, stopping the his vehicle once clearing the damaged trail, hops out to check out the damages. Shouting down the hill, "Everyone a'right down there?"

Bart jumps out of the vehicle when Cleatus does, running over to look down the hill. When he sees some crawling out he seems a bit relieved. "Anyone hurt?" chiming in right behind Cleatus' call, with that slight bit of overlapping.

Pavel gets up, surprised to see that the ground beneath him was part woman. He attempts to be helpful by grabbing on to her somewhere and pulling her free. "Ees steel loohkeeng!" He yells up to the vehicles on the high ground. If he ever did manage to get a grip, his cargo would just be dumped unceremoniously outside of the vehicle. He moves up to search for Joe, but also trying to use his small communicator while he looks: "Leezahrds, szey noh yet cohm, roohn ohvehr oos? Vee need go fohr heel, soon? Een dehngahr?"

Valeriya recoveres quickly once the heavy and heanily laiden russian lends a hand in extracting her. "Thanks." She bids curtly as she crawls to join Joe outside and curse some more. "Lets not wait for that to happen. Can you turn the vehicle back over?" She asks of Pavel.

Rasputin looks around, seeing no one is screaming out in pain. He looks around the vally, "Da, so if everyone is alright. Dhen, we should be looking for Dino's da?" He chuckles a bit and starts to move a little away from the vehicles so he can get a new look at this known area on thsi new day.

Joe shouts up the hill once he's dusted himself off, "Miaswell grab some ropes, Gonna have to flip these buggers." Some of the workers from the other trucks are already on it carrying ropes over that way. Cleatus calls back, "The guys are already on it. Good driving, an you picked the trail." getting a bit of a laugh while moving to help.

Bart moves to help the workers with the ropes where needed finding the comment amusing as well, just not as open about it.

Pavel smiles at Valeriya's question, and answers her, though not actually looking at her. "Da, Pavel feex." Shouldn't be a problem at all for him, considering that there are many tanks that he could upright in a similar situation. "No ees neer fohr rohpe, Joe. Pavel ees fahstehr, goh bahk fohr hoot soohnehr." He'll flip his own vehicle back onto its tires, then just move on to the other, making sure that there aren't any seemingly important pieces laying around on the ground as he tries to help.

Valeriya smiles appreciatively at the big man as the vehicle is righted and things can get back under way. She looks to joe next. "Do we go back up the ridge or continue in this ravine?"

Rasputin exclaims something in Russian then calms down, "Da, someone with optiks. Please, be lookink in da valley. Mink think we either are havink bad infestation of insects or dhere be many dino's down dhere." He points down the direction and valley in the direction of what he is seeing. He remembers he doesn't have any optics of his own, so he can't say much more.

Jaxain takes a moment to adjust his optics system, and peers down the valley. "The herd is down there, near where this trail leads!" He exclaims in mild surprise. "It's a large herd, numbering into the hundreds at least, guys. Holy crap..."

Joe suggests, "We gotta come up behind the critters. If'n we go up the valley, they may spook back the other way." then to Pavel, "If you get up there on the ridge, we can tie a rope to the bumper, an you can pull it up the hill."

Cleatus is already on the ropes, telling the few workers there to toss one end down and use a tree for leverage.

Bart shouts down to Pavel, "Hey big guy, your first climbing lesson." getting a chuckle out of the situation. And it will be a bit of a climb to get up the steep slope.

The only damage to the vehicles is a couple of broken lights and the rail gun mountings on both vehicles are damaged. Now the weapons have to be carried if they are going to be used.

The blacksmith finishes up righting the vehicles, then frowns. "Pavel ees poot goohgols veet cahmp. Deed noht szeenk szaht szey needed fohr toodehy." Indeed, he is entirely without electronics of any kind with the exception of his little communicator. It looks like he had an idea to help, but then Jaxain calls out with information, and Bartholemew with instructions. That's okay, every job needs someone to do heavy manual labor and someone else to do the clever thinking. In this case, he's not the pro at the thinking part. He'll get the vehicle back uphill, whether it be done with ropes, or simply pushing it up a shallow slope. "Vher ees peepohl szat vehr shahdoheeng leezahrs ohfer naheeght?" There were other cowboys, following the herd, as far as he recalls.

Valeriya starts climbing her own way up the slope, seeing as the vehicle may take a bit. She stops about 100 feet from her starting point, not wanting to get too far from the dino path should things start early.

Rasputin follows Valeriya down, not really making a lot of good progress. He is a short dwarf like figure of course. He mutters all the way down.

With Pavel righting the vehicles, Joe ties off the one while Darryl ties off the other to be pulled up the hill. Shallow as the slope is, it is still easier to use the ropes than push, but it is up to him. The workers, along with Bart and Cleatus, will do the pulling, just so the buggy doesn't roll back down if Pavel trips. Before Darryl climbs back up the hill he tells the big blacksmith, "No one was followin, they walk if you just get em goin." giving a chuckle, to him its just what they do.

One way or another, the vehicles will make it to the top of the hill, probably followed by Pavel, grinning softly at the gifts that had been granted to him being useful outside of his forge, too. "Ees soh draheeve to bahk of leezahrds, chahse to peets vohr doog yehstahdehy?" He reaches over to grab one of the heavy tranquilizer guns. "Pavel cahn leeft eet, ees noht prohblem."

Valeriya nods to Pavel at his question. "Pretty much, sticking and shooting what we can along the way." She confrims as they retake the slope and she climbs back into the truck. "Stay on track this time ok?"

Rasputin loooks around, "Da, so repeats the plan, just so we are clear da." He curses a bit more, "Andink, how will we get dese back up hill, kind of hard comink downs. Has to be hards goink up?" He mutters more until he safely reaches the bottom and spreads out a little bit to the left of the landing zone to see what he can see.

Most of the workers are still amazed at the feats of strength this guy is pulling off. Pavel has sure saved alot of time, getting them back on the trail in no time. Joe takes it alot more cautiously the rest of the way, but the delay proved to work out. By the time the wagon train arrives, the Tri-tops are scattered all across the valley just past the point they needed them to be. The sight of them grazing peacefully is amazing, they lumber about at their own pace, not feeling threatened just yet.

Bart calls over the radio, "Alright folks, take it in for the moment, this is what we came for."

Pavel follows the armored and strangely stealthy Valeriya back into his seat. This time he looks at the seat belt - and apparently decides that he'd rather be thrown free than ratteld around being thrashed side to side in a falling vehicle. Still, not that it demonstrated itself to be unstable, he thoroughly braces himself, holding the large weapon easily. He shrugs mentally at not having brought any magnifying optics along beyond his rifle's scope, but it doesn't really phased the easygoing blacksmith. "Pleese, eef Vahlehreeah tell Pavel vhat ees fohr see? Sze behbee leezahrds, ees obveeohs?" The huge tranquilizer is raised into a more unseful position.

Valeriya nods to pavel and gestures him, to lean forward as she does to show Joe where she needs to be when things go down. "Right so for me to be most effective we want to get within 150 feet of tight clusters towards the back of the herd." She explains to Joe. "Pavel, if they're like most other animals, tight clusters are protecting the young. So any you see between the size of a large dog and a person, shoot. Leave the bigger ones alone."

Rasputin looks to Valeriya, "Da, mink will prep for cover, incase we are havink runners at us. You are focusink on larger groups. Mink has only 90 fts ranges, da." He has put away his shotgun, and drawn a nicely modified NG-45LP. He scans the area, making sure to keep the left flank of Valeriya and Pavel.

This is where the three buggy's split up, slowly creeping the vehicles along to move into position to get the herd grouped better. Joe stops the vehicle once he's in position to start, "Hey big guy, Get yerself strapped in, there's a harness for ya so ya don't get thrown, its gonna get crazy here in a bit."

Bart gets himself strapped into the gunners position for his own vehicle, "Alright, locked and loaded here!"

"Da. Pavel leesyen," he confirms Valeriya's instructions. "No fohr mahke beeg leezahrds ehngree." He takes a moment to inspect the unfamiliar weapon further, trying to ensure that he doesn't somehow accidentally shoot the mage in the ass. There's a bit of a frown at the insistence of being strapped in, but he accepts the man at his word, and secures himself. "Ees good fohr move." Valeriya tethers herself as well, even a simple rope attaching her to the vehicle will do as she rechecks her c-5 and flexes her fingers. "Ready when you are."

Rasputin looks at those in the buggy's, he keeps up next to them. Not running fast, but prefering to be more flexiable in what he is doing. But it isn't like the buggy's are really moving all that fast anyway.

Rasputin looks at those in the buggy's, he keeps up next to them. Not running fast, but prefering to be more flexiable in what he is doing. But it isn't like the buggy's are really moving all that fast anyway. Then he figures out that they will be speeding up. So he holsters his pistol, and jumps in and secures down. Keeping his hands free.

Rasputin tucks his shotgun in the next to his leg, so he can get to it, but so it isn't free.

Once in position the cowboys take off, all three shouting a hearty, "YEEEEE HAHHH!" Blaring the horns of the buggys as they go to give the incentive needed to get the lumbering behemoths moving.

Bart looks through the herd as best he can, the speeding buggy bouncing over the terrain sure don't make it easy, "Take your shots as you see em folks." is the last thing he says over the radio as the cars take off.

It sure looks like the big gun should be in range, but Pavel hesitates to fire at an obvious target, unsure. He also expresses some concern over the radio about being the first one to fire when he doesn't even have any training in using such a weapon. "Ees faheer, fohr Bahrt seh? Ohr.. Vahlyereeya ees behttah tell Pavel shoot taheem ees." He lowers the tranquilizer and simply practices aiming until someone else shoots, to make sure that they work in the first place, in expert hands.

Valeriya is holding her own fire, waiting until she is close enough to spring a carpet first. But she does point out young dino's to get Pavel in on the action, trying to be encouraging.

Rasputin is also holding his fire and says into his radio, "Perhaps we could be usink blinkink flash or claps of thunders. To gettink dhem moving." He looks around, he too is well out of range at this moment.

Cleatus and Joe have no problem getting some of the spread out behemoths to start moving the direction they want them to go. Darryl on the other hand is not having as much luck. THe Tri-tops get moving, but only scatter more forcing him to have to circle back around for another try.

Bart takes a couple shots at a youngin running near its mother trying to make it back with the larger portion of the herd. For a dart gun, the damn thing is still pretty damn loud when its fired.

Pavel listens to his momentary mentor, shrugs and does his best to nail one of the young Tri-Tops. As he knows that not only is he untrained, but also shooting on the move, something difficult to do even when trained, he fires two darts at the same beast. Or perhaps better said, he attempts to fire two darts at the same beast. A little mutter for luck first.

Valeriya continues to direct Pavel. Luckily for him she cant tell how bad he's aiming while the ride the buggy through the herd. A miss is likely from anyone, so Pavel can fit into average.

Rasputin waits, and waits. Prepared for the right distance, or stop any charging mommies who want to flip his little buggy.

Rasputin mutters some magic and adds something to himself, just incase...

The first baby takes two darts from Bart's gun, the first shot caching it in the soft neck tissue just under the collar giving the drugs quick access to a serious blood supply, it won't be long before it starts to slow down. Pavel on the other hand isn't able to hit his target at all, baby and mother able to join the herd which starts getting more heading in the direction wanted. The buggy's zigzag back and forth urging stragglers to rejoin the main herd starting to motivate itself down the valley.

Bart again looks for a target, thinking he's found one, he fires two more darts into the herd at a smaller calf.

The herd's moving away, and Pavel hasn't received any new orders. By know, it's quite clear to him that he needs two shots to even have a chance of taking down one of the calves. *thump* *thump* Go two of the large and noisy darts.

"Would have to get pretty close for thunderclaps, and flashes would make them go slower. Fear would work, got that one?" Valeriya asks Rasputin back over the radio as they finally close in on a descent cluster. A carpet is cast out infront of them with a gesture and a stunb grenade from her c-5 immediately follows.

Rasputin shakes his head, "Net, mink have Magic Net." He waits for getting closer still, "Mindink Valeriya's castink. Dit can even be stoppink our buggy." He waits for things to get closer, 90 feet or so is what he is looking to get, of course he could toss a blinding flash out at max range, and he does this twice. Just to stir the creatures a little bit with light as well as the sounds of others.

Another dart is taken by a baby from the weapon Bart wields, it still runs to the pack with signs of slowing coming soon. Darryl gets back on track, his circling enough to get the stubborn stragglers dodging him to get moving in the right direction. Another calf is tagged by a dart from the herculean blacksmith, to make three that will not be following the herd much longer. Four of the beasts are ensnared by the carpet of adhesion from Valeryia, and then stunned by the blast form the grenade that follows. Another rams into the back of the ones stuck, making a nasty gash in momma's side as it pushes past very forcefully with its horns to continue down the valley.

Still the cowboys hoot an holler racing around chasing straggling Tri-tops, urging them back to the group with the other. It looks like things are really getting going now, the lumbering beasts picking up speed rather quickly.

Bart again take another couple a shots as his vehicle makes another pass of the herd.

The herculean blacksmith hesitates for a moment, obviously not sure if he should use the dart gun, or throw a grenade. In the end, for reasons known only to him, the large weapon is set on his knee, and two of the Triax grenades that had been lent to him are hurled at separate targets. There's a bit more confidence in his arm, apparently, than there is in the mechanical monstrosity.

The buggy carrying Valeriya and Pavel move up the herd from one clust to the next as Valeriya shoots a consusion grenade back at the last group to finish them off. Then she turns to the next group, casting out another sticky carpet.

Rasputin sees his opportunity to fire off his magic and takes it. He aims at two creatures and fires off his magic neets into the crowd. Aiming for several of them but he is fairly sure that he can bag a few of these four legged beasts creatures.

This time Bart fires over the herd's head, both darts flying harmless to who knows where. Pavel gets one out of the two with stun grenades, the second dazed, but still moving. The first one hitting the dirt hard, the explosion of bright light not what its used to. The impact just adding to its misery. Looks like he's finally getting the hang of it. A rogue grenade explodes in front of Cleatus' vehicle making him have to take evasive manuvers. Rasputins netting is able to take two more down for the time being, but his estimate of more than one with each net is drastically underestimated. The netting each only able to cover one by itself.

Now the herd is starting to form up good as it gets closer to stampede speed. Groupings of young are becoming more prevalent as the mothers huddle them together toward the center of the herd. The cowboys are doing their part getting the herd in line, leaving it up to the rest to take em down by whatever means they are proficient at.

Bart loses his shot as Cleatus has to turn suddenly with the grenade explosion. "What the hell was that." Comes over the radio.

"Mohszer leezahrds soon ees fohr prohtehct behbees? Vhat ees fohr do szen? Noht faheet been leezarhds, da? Eento peet szat vahs doog?" Pavel isn't a dinosaur hunter, and only offering opinion, thought and suggestion as to what to do, or what might happen. Cornered mothers of any species are usually more dangerous than the males. Still, as he's yet to receive any countermanding orders, he just keeps trying to hit the youngesters. Once more, two of the borrowed - and now used - grenades are thrown, and again at two different animals.

"A rock under the tire, sorry." Valeriya remarks back to Bart but does not lose tep from the miss two more grenades are shot to incapacitate the group she netted.

Rasputin having bagged two with magical net, he yells out, "DA! DA! Closers, DA! Mink ables to bag two mores." He says with a yell over the speaker of his armor, "Da!" He fires out a magic net at another of the baby Dinos. Then he fires away another at another baby dino, "DA! DA!"

Grenades explode, but nothing ends up in their path, an hell one doesn't even go off at all, a dud. Another set of grenades explode, these on the beasts stuck in the second set of goo, leaving them not only stuck, but dazed as well. Another round of nets launch from the side of Cleatus' vehicle, one nabbing its intended target, the other missing as the young calf changes direction all of a sudden.

Bart takes another shot trying to hit two separate ones before they get into the rest of the group.

The herd moves quickly down the length of the valley, little by little, some of the young are separated from the main herd, either by dart or spell, the group efficiently does what they came for. Almost as quick as it started, its over. A nice chunk of the herd running blindly into the trap prepared the day before. It's a slaughter more than a hunt, many of the Tri-tops having to be put out of their misery from either the crippling traps or the devastating collisions caused by Val's magic carpets of sticky goo.

It takes another whole day to finish the task of cleaning up. Bart's team pulling guard duty mostly, to prevent scavengers from robbing thier precious cargo before it can be loaded. A full load of live animals, fresh meat, and hides are taken back to Kingsdale to be put on the market so the members of the excursion can get paid.