X-Men Mission: Skull Island 6
Dec. 22nd, 2018 08:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsThe third squad, including the mansion's unofficial science team works on the Blackbird and taking readings.
Unloading the crates of scanning equipment and repair materials had been the first priority and as the two teams of X-Men headed separately into the jungle, it was left to them to get the Blackbird flight ready while collecting as much information as they possibly could on this essentially uncharted, unstudied, and wholly unique island. The first thing to go up was the large antenna for encrypted communications. It had a chance to pick up any comms the survivors might have, but more importantly, it was also the link to the boat Christian Kane was bringing through the stormy chasms and reefs to collect the personnel. As soon as the lights turned green, the Scot’s burr came through the radio.
“Blackbird, do you read us? This is Skull Six.”
"Dust here. Reading you loud and clear. What is your status? Over." Sooraya quickly silenced her mild internal grumbling that she had been left to run comms and keep and eye on the plane and the scientists to focus on her job.
The crackle of the radio was an unmistakable sound, one that perked up Sue's ears as she craned her head around to stare at Sooraya, ears straining to listen to the report before she turned back to her monitor. "Well, I'm not getting anything on the comms sweep other than us right now. You guys having any luck?"
"I have not located any signs of other humanoid life," came the reply from Hank, currently picking his way through the undergrowth, scanner and camera in hand, "but the other readings I am receiving are quite frankly incredible. The native flora are quite unique, I've never seen anything quite like it in any botanical textbooks."
Reed nodded in agreement, forgetting that he actually had to speak into the comm to be heard. Everything Hank said was accurate and more. Although botany and biology were not his strong suits, he couldn't help but look around in wonderment at everything. He could be on this island for years, and still never get to the bottom of this. "There's also some interesting metreological patterns at work here. Probably explains the storms, but I can't quite understand why." He tapped at the device in his hand, something of his own invention. "I mean, this states a change to the electromagnetic field...but that would be highly improbable."
"It feels weird?" offered Nica. As the trainee, she wasn't sure how much she was supposed to take initiative. "The EM field, I mean. It's sort of tingly on my powers."
"Guys, focus, you can take some samples of the flora to check out when we get back to the mansion, we need to figure out what's going on here right now." As much as the blonde loved Hank and Reed, and their flights of intellect could be interesting at times she was more concerned about being able to make sure that they could get him. Twisting slightly to grab a screwdriver Sue pointed at Nica, "It might be improbable, but we've got proof that something's up with the EM field around the island. That might explain both the weather and the plants, so if we can figure that out, it'll let us escape and explain everything else."
"Plus there might be other things out there. The other teams got stranded, I don't want to happen that to us." Sooraya reminded the scientists. "Blackbird out." She swiveled her chair to look at Monica. "Speaking of things that might be out there, can you do a quick check around the plane and the area where Richards and McCoy are?"
"Yes ma'am!" Nica 'ghosted', slipping through the hull of the Blackbird and then hovering slightly above the ground as she flew towards where the scientists were. She wasn't any kind of expert, but the very atmosphere of the place was just so different. "All clear so far... except for some seriously monster bugs." She swatted at some mosquitoes the size of sparrows, before realising she was still intangible and reacting out of habit. "And I know tropical islands are supposed to be humid, but it's crazy muggy out here. Like, water dripping off everything muggy. It's like being in a terrarium."
It was almost a physical pain, having to pull themselves away from their investigation of the island's unusual plantlife in order to do more traditional 'work', but luckily even that came with its own weirdness. "Reed, come, take a look at this," Hank beckoned as readings from the spectrum began to roll in.
With the boys finally settled poring over a computer screen, a series of oohs and ahhs issuing forth from the pair as they examined the data they were collecting Sue was free to focus on the important work...like fixing the plane so they could actually fly home. The blonde shucked off her jacket, draping it over a nearby tree as she clambered up onto the a stump near the two so she could keep an eye on them, carefully edging towards the engine as she started to pull back the maintenance panels, exposing it's guts as a ghost like girl drifted down out of the cockpit. "If you think this is bad then try visiting the rain forest sometimes, it's like you're constantly soaked and not in a good way."
"I don't understand how being soaked would be beneficial in any situation," Reed pointed out, clicking the odd button on his keyboard. "Trenchfoot is not a disease for the history books. There are real downsides to being perpetually wet unless one is amphibious by nature." He clicked a few more buttons, touched his screen, and shook his head. ""Nica, you mentioned you can feel that this field is off. Have you actually tested your powers yet? I think we have to naturally assume that we are operating with unknowns. Does anyone else feel a bit off with their powers?" He stretched a finger and shook his head. "As mine are physiological by nature, I am not sensing much difference."
"Well, I can ghost, so x-rays are mostly the same?" offered Nica. "I haven't tried anything else yet, but I'm still working on using different EM wavelengths on purpose." She paused at the other end of the Blackbird from where everyone else was and tried an experimental light beam. No differences there, except that it was twice as strong as it ought to be. "Huh. Visible light wavelengths must be higher here. I'm practically strobing here."
Sooraya poked her head outside the door of the plane, having switched to a handheld set for communications, and looked up to Sue. "How are things looking up there? Do you need any help?" If necessary there was no choice that either Reed or McCoy would need to leave their science behind for the moment. The plane needed to come first.
The blonde sat up, rocking back on her haunches as she wiped one hand across her forehead leaving a trail of grease behind as she glanced down at the X-man. "I dunno, if perhaps you happen to be hiding a jet engine down there that would be awesome, otherwise, the engines got rattled around a lot. I've got to double check the housing will hold and the fuel isn't going to leak then I'll double check the electronics are solid. We may end up limping home but barring another storm like that one we should be ok."
"Jet engines I don't have, but I do have an extra pair of hands if you need them. Or I can round up one of the others of the brain trust to give you hand. The plane has priority over the research." Sooraya explained. The comms suddenly crackled in her ear and she thumbed the switch at her waist. "Yes, Reed, what's up?"
"I am still monitoring the magnetic fields, but I think they've had a strange affect on the plantlife. There's some accelerated growth -- as in, I believe I can actually see replication occur under this microscope." He turned towards Hank, and frowned. "Hank, are you seeing the same thing?"
"It seems unbelievable, and yet..." The human eye wasn't the most sensitive apparatus in the world, and of course, it wouldn't be safe to say until they had some real readings, but... "It could be a reaction to the abnormal electromagnetic spectra we've identified. Radiation would certainly have an effect on the growth of plant and animal life, especially with extended exposure."
"Why do I have a feeling this is leading to something I'm not going to like?" She quietly muttered to herself. "Understood. Any idea of if it's could pose any risks to us or the other teams at the moment?"
"It doesn't seem strong enough to negatively impact us, but I wouldn't recommend rubbing one self on a tree either." Reed looked up and around. These trees were huge. "I would be happier if we could leave sooner rather than later. I don't believe my equipment can handle the feedback I'm receiving."
"Plus this place is just creepy." Nica meant to just mutter it to herself, but the sensitive comms picked up her words and broadcast them to the others.
Privately Sooraya had to agree with Nica. "Let's stay sharp and get the jet ready as quickly as possible." Thumbing the set at her waist, she sent out a call to all teams. "Blackbird here. We are picking up strange reading which may have affected the flora and fauna. Stay alert."
Unloading the crates of scanning equipment and repair materials had been the first priority and as the two teams of X-Men headed separately into the jungle, it was left to them to get the Blackbird flight ready while collecting as much information as they possibly could on this essentially uncharted, unstudied, and wholly unique island. The first thing to go up was the large antenna for encrypted communications. It had a chance to pick up any comms the survivors might have, but more importantly, it was also the link to the boat Christian Kane was bringing through the stormy chasms and reefs to collect the personnel. As soon as the lights turned green, the Scot’s burr came through the radio.
“Blackbird, do you read us? This is Skull Six.”
"Dust here. Reading you loud and clear. What is your status? Over." Sooraya quickly silenced her mild internal grumbling that she had been left to run comms and keep and eye on the plane and the scientists to focus on her job.
The crackle of the radio was an unmistakable sound, one that perked up Sue's ears as she craned her head around to stare at Sooraya, ears straining to listen to the report before she turned back to her monitor. "Well, I'm not getting anything on the comms sweep other than us right now. You guys having any luck?"
"I have not located any signs of other humanoid life," came the reply from Hank, currently picking his way through the undergrowth, scanner and camera in hand, "but the other readings I am receiving are quite frankly incredible. The native flora are quite unique, I've never seen anything quite like it in any botanical textbooks."
Reed nodded in agreement, forgetting that he actually had to speak into the comm to be heard. Everything Hank said was accurate and more. Although botany and biology were not his strong suits, he couldn't help but look around in wonderment at everything. He could be on this island for years, and still never get to the bottom of this. "There's also some interesting metreological patterns at work here. Probably explains the storms, but I can't quite understand why." He tapped at the device in his hand, something of his own invention. "I mean, this states a change to the electromagnetic field...but that would be highly improbable."
"It feels weird?" offered Nica. As the trainee, she wasn't sure how much she was supposed to take initiative. "The EM field, I mean. It's sort of tingly on my powers."
"Guys, focus, you can take some samples of the flora to check out when we get back to the mansion, we need to figure out what's going on here right now." As much as the blonde loved Hank and Reed, and their flights of intellect could be interesting at times she was more concerned about being able to make sure that they could get him. Twisting slightly to grab a screwdriver Sue pointed at Nica, "It might be improbable, but we've got proof that something's up with the EM field around the island. That might explain both the weather and the plants, so if we can figure that out, it'll let us escape and explain everything else."
"Plus there might be other things out there. The other teams got stranded, I don't want to happen that to us." Sooraya reminded the scientists. "Blackbird out." She swiveled her chair to look at Monica. "Speaking of things that might be out there, can you do a quick check around the plane and the area where Richards and McCoy are?"
"Yes ma'am!" Nica 'ghosted', slipping through the hull of the Blackbird and then hovering slightly above the ground as she flew towards where the scientists were. She wasn't any kind of expert, but the very atmosphere of the place was just so different. "All clear so far... except for some seriously monster bugs." She swatted at some mosquitoes the size of sparrows, before realising she was still intangible and reacting out of habit. "And I know tropical islands are supposed to be humid, but it's crazy muggy out here. Like, water dripping off everything muggy. It's like being in a terrarium."
It was almost a physical pain, having to pull themselves away from their investigation of the island's unusual plantlife in order to do more traditional 'work', but luckily even that came with its own weirdness. "Reed, come, take a look at this," Hank beckoned as readings from the spectrum began to roll in.
With the boys finally settled poring over a computer screen, a series of oohs and ahhs issuing forth from the pair as they examined the data they were collecting Sue was free to focus on the important work...like fixing the plane so they could actually fly home. The blonde shucked off her jacket, draping it over a nearby tree as she clambered up onto the a stump near the two so she could keep an eye on them, carefully edging towards the engine as she started to pull back the maintenance panels, exposing it's guts as a ghost like girl drifted down out of the cockpit. "If you think this is bad then try visiting the rain forest sometimes, it's like you're constantly soaked and not in a good way."
"I don't understand how being soaked would be beneficial in any situation," Reed pointed out, clicking the odd button on his keyboard. "Trenchfoot is not a disease for the history books. There are real downsides to being perpetually wet unless one is amphibious by nature." He clicked a few more buttons, touched his screen, and shook his head. ""Nica, you mentioned you can feel that this field is off. Have you actually tested your powers yet? I think we have to naturally assume that we are operating with unknowns. Does anyone else feel a bit off with their powers?" He stretched a finger and shook his head. "As mine are physiological by nature, I am not sensing much difference."
"Well, I can ghost, so x-rays are mostly the same?" offered Nica. "I haven't tried anything else yet, but I'm still working on using different EM wavelengths on purpose." She paused at the other end of the Blackbird from where everyone else was and tried an experimental light beam. No differences there, except that it was twice as strong as it ought to be. "Huh. Visible light wavelengths must be higher here. I'm practically strobing here."
Sooraya poked her head outside the door of the plane, having switched to a handheld set for communications, and looked up to Sue. "How are things looking up there? Do you need any help?" If necessary there was no choice that either Reed or McCoy would need to leave their science behind for the moment. The plane needed to come first.
The blonde sat up, rocking back on her haunches as she wiped one hand across her forehead leaving a trail of grease behind as she glanced down at the X-man. "I dunno, if perhaps you happen to be hiding a jet engine down there that would be awesome, otherwise, the engines got rattled around a lot. I've got to double check the housing will hold and the fuel isn't going to leak then I'll double check the electronics are solid. We may end up limping home but barring another storm like that one we should be ok."
"Jet engines I don't have, but I do have an extra pair of hands if you need them. Or I can round up one of the others of the brain trust to give you hand. The plane has priority over the research." Sooraya explained. The comms suddenly crackled in her ear and she thumbed the switch at her waist. "Yes, Reed, what's up?"
"I am still monitoring the magnetic fields, but I think they've had a strange affect on the plantlife. There's some accelerated growth -- as in, I believe I can actually see replication occur under this microscope." He turned towards Hank, and frowned. "Hank, are you seeing the same thing?"
"It seems unbelievable, and yet..." The human eye wasn't the most sensitive apparatus in the world, and of course, it wouldn't be safe to say until they had some real readings, but... "It could be a reaction to the abnormal electromagnetic spectra we've identified. Radiation would certainly have an effect on the growth of plant and animal life, especially with extended exposure."
"Why do I have a feeling this is leading to something I'm not going to like?" She quietly muttered to herself. "Understood. Any idea of if it's could pose any risks to us or the other teams at the moment?"
"It doesn't seem strong enough to negatively impact us, but I wouldn't recommend rubbing one self on a tree either." Reed looked up and around. These trees were huge. "I would be happier if we could leave sooner rather than later. I don't believe my equipment can handle the feedback I'm receiving."
"Plus this place is just creepy." Nica meant to just mutter it to herself, but the sensitive comms picked up her words and broadcast them to the others.
Privately Sooraya had to agree with Nica. "Let's stay sharp and get the jet ready as quickly as possible." Thumbing the set at her waist, she sent out a call to all teams. "Blackbird here. We are picking up strange reading which may have affected the flora and fauna. Stay alert."
