Day 2 | Afternoon | Captain Lanville, I Presume?

[Kannon]

"You may not be given sufficient time to do the repairs, Captain, and the moment you turn on the Holtzmann generator for liftoff, Mobula avianis are going to attack you again. Before them, however, I surmise the thugs of the drug lord will be upon you. You have made your presence known."

[Razar Lanville]

"Miss Vim, these are things that I understand. It doesn't change the fact that we are still going to do our best to find a way to evacuate you to a hospital and complete our mission. I get that you're injured, likely frustrated, displeased with us, and probably in pain. But telling us that we're facing an uphill battle, of which we are aware already, is not particularly constructive. If you wish to provide information or assistance that will help us evacuate you to safety faster, it would be appreciated. Otherwise, feel free to rest and recuperate while we look for a way out for you," I respond in an even tone and a professional demeanor.

[Kannon]

Sinsei weathered the gaslighting with thinned lips.

"I'm am not leaving. I am bound to remain here. If I am no longer a captive, I just might secure transport quicker than you. You are again making it apparent to me what I have already learnt the hard way that I shouldn't be assuming too much goodwill from your group. My information is my leverage then. Before I share any, I need to know whether you are here to act against the drug lord. If you commit to it in no uncertain terms, promise to do it on Atreides honour, and fast, before they..." She changed what she wanted to say. "...get the upper hand, you will have my cooperation."

[Razar Lanville]

Razar looks at her and his eyes narrow. "See, when you mince words like that, you certainly eliminate any trust I have in you. Allow me to explain my position more clearly: I don't know you, and I don't trust you. I won't be giving any details of our mission to you as long as you continue playing word games. We will simply hold you here in our camp until we can evacuate you to a safer location because I am not convinced one way or the other if you are involved with our target. If you have a mission that you believe may overlap with ours, you can feel free to share details of it. But I promise you, whatever your mission is, it's not going to continue forward until you are released from a medical facility that we have dropped you off at, or when you give us a reason to trust your word. You are a civilian caught up in a military operation and we will protect you to the best of our abilities. Don't be fool enough to believe that any exchange of intelligence will be initiated with a civilian by a military unit in the midst of a mission. Us revealing such information to you, and that turning out to be a mistake, would be treason and none of us are here to commit treason against Lanville or Atreides." He makes his position clear, considering their mission and intelligence to be worth protecting from someone he doesn't know.

[Kannon]

"I am on Imperial mandate here, Captain. I am not a serf you can push around without consequence. Obfuscate this simple truth at your own peril. Your dear superiors shall pay the cost of your folly. I don't need your protection, I am held here against my will, having been shot and mistreated by your people. If you want an impasse and to die in the dark, have it your way. I need help against the drug lord but you will not see me beg and plead, giving you all that you want without assurances I require. I hope I expressed myself with corresponding clarity."

There was an emotional cost to what she said, her lips trembling and her fists balled.

[Razar Lanville]

Razar, conversely was perfectly calm. "I'm not asking you to beg for anything. I told you want my intentions were regarding you, and my position is not going to change. I will do my best to protect you and evacuate you to a medical facility as soon as possible. End of story. If you wish to offer something to try alter that position, that's up to you. But you are an untrusted civilian in the middle of a military operation. My responsibility is to protect you until you are removed from the situation. If you don't want to be removed from the situation, then the ball is 100% in your court. You need to give us a reason to trust and believe your word. Because I don't by default due to operational security practices and Atreides military training about such concerns. If you have issue with not being trusted by a military unit in the middle of a mission, probably take that up with every military training program in human history. Or show some trust by giving some trust and we may return the favor."

[Kannon]

"You're like a broken solido, ignoring what I'm saying. I care not for your pseudo-military blabber. Try your brainwashing on someone else. There's no 'may' here for me. There's no bona fide trust for captors and tormentors."

She crossed her arms, closed her lips, eyes, and mind.

[Razar Lanville]

Razar shrugs. "As you wish," he replies. "We'll get you to safety as soon as we are able to. You can move around the camp as you wish until then."

It becomes clear to her that he has absolutely no interest in any of her intel or information anymore and likely wouldn't trust it if she shared it given what's happened already. His eye stays on her at all times.

"Let's see if we can get the thopter flying ASAP," he says to Bernard. "We need to remove the impediment to our mission quickly."

[Kannon]

"Small grace." Sinsei stormed out of the area and went to the edge of the cliff to catch a breath.

...and cry without being seen.

[Opening for a side-interaction other than with Cuyler]

[Cuyler Gray]

"Captain, as you may recall, what was requested of me is a bit different than your primary mission." Cuyler spoke up. "I am here because my reputation will lend credence to whatever can be discovered regarding Ailar. Beyond that, I am of limited use to you. I am familiar with the Vim name, however, and based on what she has said, I am inclined to believe her. I understand your position, but I believe we need to find some compromise."

"For now, I'll make sure she eats."

[Razar Lanville]

"Go ahead and take care of her. It's not as though I don't believe it's possible she is who she says, but I can't confirm it and our opponents capabilities and resources are unknown. If you can get her to open up, feel free to try, but don't share any mission details with her. She was not assigned to the mission and we don't know her true loyalties, just what she's claimed. I don't care if I am executed for my actions, I won't betray my family or the Atreides by giving intel to an unconfirmed individual running around in a dangerous jungle surrounded by drug lords. It's too questionable," Razar says to Cuyler with a nod.

[Cuyler Gray]

"I can verify that the Vims are planetologists and that the phenomena we've witnessed here would be of great interest to them. She's demonstrated a scientific understanding of the flora and fauna appropriate for her field of study. But, you're right to be cautious, of course. With no long range communication, it's entirely up to you."

She left to cook.

[Bernard Martikova]

"Let's see if we can get the thopter flying ASAP," he says to Bernard. "We need to remove the impediment to our mission quickly."

Bern took a small sigh at the young woman leaving, but otherwise did not say anything on what had occurred. Any opinions on the matter were kept silent, as the leader of the mission gave his final say on the matter. H had enough respect for the chain of command to keep it to himself unless asked. He watched Gray leave as he approached the Captain to continue buisness.

"I'll seek out my brother and see what we can salvage off the other thopter when he returns to camp. I don't doubt the missus' opinion that our location has been compromised, so swift action on the matter is needed. Another night here would likely have Cartel on us in the morning."

He looked over at him as the others left. "Are you ready to receive the rest of my report, then?"

[Razar Lanville]

"I don't doubt that they are aware of us either. I had been assuming as much due to the spectacularly visible events surrounding our landing. But we need to get the thopter flying quickly to deal with the issue of the encroaching enemy," Razar says, agreeing with the imminent danger. "Go ahead and finish your report."

[Bernard Martikova]

Bernard looked at him and nodded. "Mainly wanted to bring up the actions of Storm and Ambrose. Pantazis has a way of...setting people off, including the Imperial. This may have led to her being even less than forthcoming with information than she would have been, and yes, I am factoring in being shot by friendly fire. This also caused Storm to draw her weapon on him, although that seemed to be a case of heightened emotions and stress, and less of a threat. Would recommend disciplinary measures for both for their actions, though beyond a talking to about being unnecessaryly hostile with potential friendly contacts, Pantazis can be dealt with at the conclusion of this mission. Storm, not being enlisted, may need to be reminded she is a PMC and not a soldier before the thopter is repaired."

He took a deep breath. "As she so eagerly reminded me, we do need her, a fact which pains me to admit is correct. We don't, however, need someone who is so willing to draw her weapon on us in heated emotional moments. So some happy medium between her being useful out here and a need for her to be disciplined is needed."

[Razar Lanville]

"I will have a talk with them and readjust their perspectives to improve discipline. The infighting and tension need to be resolved. Any punitive actions will be under the auspices of the Lieutenant Colonel who will be informed of the issue."

Razar pauses before continuing. "As for Miss Vim, perhaps we need her and perhaps we don't. But if she wants to remain stubborn towards the team then she will be kept at arms length and removed from the area ASAP. I don't care how vital she claims to be, I am assuming anything coming from her is untrustworthy. I understand that her attitude may be entirely justified, but it is still creating a hard barrier to her participation. She is not a part of the unit and I have no intention of doing anything other than evacuating her to safety until one of two things happens: we positively confirm her identity or she stops trying to use leverage to get her way. I can't view her as an ally otherwise and I will not ask for anything from her."

[Cuyler Gray]

"She's been fed." Cuyler returned. "She's also convinced that you'll execute her as soon as you decide she's of no use to you. If you aren't going to help her or her father, just let her go."

[Razar Lanville]

"Thanks for that. And in no way am I interested in executing her. Apparently she doesn't understand that evacuation to a medical facility is not execution? That's what I said I am going to do, and that's what I will do. As far as I am concerned, she is a civilian and I intend to get her out of harms way for her good and ours. And what's this about her father? Neither she nor anyone else mentioned more civilians. If he's nearby we can collect him to take him out of here with her and drop them both off at a medical facility." Razar starts to show exasperation that the people reporting to him are leaving information out. There's a clear tick at his temple as he clenches his jaw in exasperation.

[Cuyler Gray]

"She mentioned him after we captured her, when she introduced herself and explained why she was here. Dr. Xard Vim is a leading planetologist. His daughter, Sinsei, works with him as his assistant." She explained. "I'm sorry. I assumed someone had told you. We did not encounter him, but he's likely why she's so panicked and irrational."

[Bernard Martikova]

"I..." Bern will look wided eyed. "...Thought she would mention it in her introduction, so I wanted to make my initial report brief and let her handle the rest of the information out. I also did my absolute best to convey that she was under no obligation to come with us. Given the circumstances, I can see how you could come to that conclusion...we did just shoot her, chase after her, and have those subordinates act like antagonistic children towards one another and her."

He again gives a deep breath. "Whole thing's just FUBAR."