Pulse of the Imperium

The aerial path east was like walking the tightrope. Too high, he could be spotted. Too low, he could his canopies. Too leftward, he could approach the ocean and attract mantas. Too rightward, he could fly into the cartel facilities without knowing as they had likely extended a camouflaging sensor net over their plantations.

His only path was right between the mountains...

Razar had lasgun focus as he maintained his path as best as possible. He felt the weight of his volatile cargo as he maintained as smooth a course as possible. This was by far the most dangerous mission he's ever flown, but he wouldn't consider it the most difficult flight he's ever flown. He'd performed more challenging thopter flights in the past certainly, but never in the midst of an active combat mission. He was truly putting his expertise to the test. A bead of sweat formed on his brow that he ignored. He maintained radio silence as he approached, having no intention of giving away his position.

As the mountains grew taller, their tops sharper and less predictable, the flight was catching up to being a true test of his skills.

[Hard Piloting - Space w/ 1 Challenge.]

The immediate stakes were even higher. If the plan unfolded as expected, in a few hours they might get radio contact back, but he wouldn't confirm it until climbing the thopter to a higher altitude, leaving the perilous safety of the peaks, exposing himself to potential observers. And the staging ground... no candidate so far, at least not from this high. The pressure to risk more and go lower.

At least he could trust the thopter. Pantazis had fixed it against the odds, proving himself to be an ingenious man, if troublesome. Razar could profile him now, for any future deployment they might share.

Razar maintains his route with a little bit of effort and a careful eye on his surroundings. He actually prefers flying through the mountain peaks that rise above the canopy because there's a slightly lower chance of being electrocuted and put out of commission.

D1, Dance on a Needle, Piloting - Space / Agility, Hard w/ 1 Challenge: 3eP+1eC+2eD 1 success


Success, nothing else

Guiding the thopter with minimalist efficiency, Razar was getting into higher mountains of the second ridge. There was less unpredictable vegetation here, but also much more perpendicularity of terrain. Narrow canyons stretched for miles. Finding a flat spot for several thopters here would be an effort.

Razar wondered if he might be able to locate a longer, wider space in one of the canyons, in the hopes that they might be able to set several thopters in a row, out of sight. A flat spot would certainly be better for landing and takeoff, but a hidden spot would have some advantages too

To explore the possibility, he'd have to dive into one of them, or remain on a course just above as their topography made observation from afar fruitless.

He decides to keep on with the original search for now, waiting until he found some useful flat ground instead of hunting through canyons for a space big enough for multiple thopters and a camp. If it is taking too long he may revisit the idea later.

He had some time. The others wouldn't be ready until later in the day. Flying inside the range was at least protecting him from being blinded by sharp sun rays from the east at this hour.

[Average Perception w/ Setback.]

Razar kept an eye open for a good spot, as well as watching for any opposition thopters, defenses or observation posts out here. He couldn't imagine that they didn't have anything of the sort as an early warning system. He didn't seem to find either thing he was keeping his eyes open for.

D1, Dance on a Needle, Perception / Cunning, Average, 1 Setback, Statement: "I must be a fox to recognize traps.": 2eP+1eA+2eD+1eS 0 successes


Failed

With no easy opportunity in sight, it looked like canyons it were. The mountains were mostly impassable, so given the short time the operation had had to be established, their defences from this direction weren't inconceivable to be a bit... porous.

[The same Piloting check as before.]

Again, He's able to maintain control as he moves into a different area of the mountains, navigating safely to try and find a good landing zone.

D1, Dance on a Needle, Piloting - Space / Agility #2, Hard w/ 1 Challenge: 3eP+2eD+1eC 1 success


Success

Razar navigated the canyon with relaxed efficiency, going deeper. Fortunately, this one was sparsely forested, being at a significant altitude. There was a mountain river down below, responsible for this very rock formation. What he saw ahead was it's source - a post-glacial lake.

A lake with a shore and sparse vegetation was likely to have the space they would need, but also be pretty open, providing less cover. Benefits and drawbacks. He decided that taking a closer look with a flyby would be the best move.

The lake was unusual, as it rested at the bottom of what looked like a cavern that collapsed onto itself. In its midst there were islands of sharp rubble, crushed columns and stalagmites. Shores were under the remaining overhangs, a bit difficult to land on due to karst formations, but not impossible. It was a piece of subterranean world exposed by geological violence.

It was also insanely pretty, starkly, lavishly blue, like a Fremen Eye of Ibad Razar had never seen but might have heard of.

He decides to try to touch down to see if it's okay to land around. He does a circle to find a good angle.

Once closer, he noticed a few secure spots, not too apart from each other. Touching down at one of them was unproblematic.

Having tested the ground to his satisfaction, he found the location to fit their needs as a rally point, he takes off and tests the radio, getting static. He takes a bit of time to inspect the shoreline of the sunken cavern for dangers and problems.

The radio seemed to be delivering a different type of static. Long-range comms still didn't work, but short-range seemed promising if there was someone to send or receive, as there should be soon.

Only then did he start to notice other features beneath the surface of the lake. Remnants of huts, other wooden and rock structures, now collapsed and piled over with rock. Maybe the cave-in wasn't actually natural.

Such features also potentially provide cover, but also, if it was inhabited once, it may still be inhabited, or people may have left things behind. He decides to get an even closer look and searches for a spot to land near the collapsed and damaged huts.