Quiet, We're Hunting Wabbits

TO: All interested nations
FROM: Pa'u Jenova Incinerator

I need help tracking down Doctor Thorgood, the former ProtoConsul of Burnination. Also now that Burnination has a planet, any nation that would like to may send an ambassador to Burnination.

As I would like to get to know your ambassadors, perhaps this is a good time for healing two birds with one herb.

Ambassadors that help me to locate Thorgood will earn my gratitude.

Sincerely,
Jenova Incinerator

To: The Honorable Pa'u Jenova Incinerator
From: Micah von Guelderlaand, Hochmeister of the Ordenreich

We will be glad to supply you with an Arcanii Network stealth frigate maybe even a scout flotilla and Black Hole Legion team if you need it just ask what you need and where you need it and I'll have one diverted to you ASAP. We would be honored to send an ambassador to open an embassy on your new world, just let us know when you wish to receive him and we will send him.

Sincerely,
Micah von Guelderlaand
Hochmeister of the Ordenreich

TO: Hochmeister Guelderlaand
FROM: Jenova Incinerator

Well, we know Thorgood is on the planet somewhere, not in space. He's somewhere among the Feral. Normally I wouldn't be looking for a Feral, but we need him at the moment.

My idea was that all the ambassadors help me with the tracking so that we can get to know each other better, but if you wish to send separate people for that, that's fine.

We wish to receive as soon as possible!

Sincerely,
Jenova

To: The Honorable Pa'u Jenova Incinerator
From: Micah von Guelderlaand, Hochmeister of the Ordenreich

On the case I can send an ambassador along with an arcanii stealth frigate. The frigate cab scan the ground and hopefully find your doctor. I would send some trackers but they have no experience with your people's specific physiology.

Sincerely,
Micah Von Guelderlaand
Hochmeister of the Ordenreich

[Encrypted]

To: Pa'u Jenova Incinerator
From: Planetary Governor Pravin Lal

The continued well being of Doctor Thorgood is of high interest to the Planetary Governate, given his crucial role in defusing the trans-dimensional crisis and setting up galactic defenses against the Hildenburen. As such we offer to send Hormazd Khoroushi, whose experiences within the probe service should prove invaluable. Additionally, he will serve as an Ambassador to the Burnite peoples in the future following his retirement from active probe service in a matter of months.

“This is the HNS Saber Tooth, carrying an ambassador from the Chief of the State of Heraklea to Pa'u Jenova Incinerator of the Motherland of Burnination. In addition, this destroyer has been authorized to engage in search and rescue efforts for the missing Doctor Thorgood.”

When the foreign diplomatic and search vessels arrive, they find Burnination's home world nestled perfectly in the gravity of the 5 quasars, as before. However, where Centauri vessels previously recorded a psych-hazard, and the Ordenreich sunk an entire crew within it, the quasars now register as completely normal. Well, except for the fact that there are 5 of them arranged such that given their velocities and their masses, they all perfectly orbit a large central planet.

There is a massive energy shield surrounding the entire system, and the ships are hailed when they arrive, and upon identifying, Jenova opens the shield, allowing them to enter.

When they arrive, Jenova asks them to meet her on the surface, giving them coordinates upon which to land a transport, but offering to beam them in directly if they prefer.

She's made them tea and awaits meeting them. Small cups though. As much as she looks forward to getting involved in international politics again, she does need to find Thorgood!

Talent Khoroushi enters the room with a respectful nod towards Jenova, and says to her, "Miss Jenova, it's my pleasure to meet you and to offer what aid I can to help locate Doctor Thorgood. Though current I am not a member of the diplomatic service, I should transition into it following a brief reeducation course in the following months when I am moved out of active Probe service. I am quite knowledgeable about computing systems, foreign and Centauri, and I do carry with me expert systems on psych analysis should it prove necessary."

Shortly followed by the Centauri is a Heraklean officer. "Pa'u Jenova, I am Commodore Karly Prisca of the Heraklean Diplomatic Service. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance and open dialogues between our peoples. As well, since I used be part of a recon company in the Legion* prior to my transfer to the Diplomatic Service, I may be able to offer some additional aid in locating Doctor Thorgood. The Saber Tooth is likewise here to aid in the search."

*Not long after the Centauri and Herakleans made their introductions in walked three Sacaens. One wore the ceremonial white and black with gold trim robes of the Order while the other two wore standard issue paladin combat armor, their helmets were on blocking their faces from view.*

Scribe Elania: Uh... greetings, Miss Pa'u Jenova, I am Scribe Elania of the Ordenreich. I was sent to be uh... uh......

*Scribe Elania seemed to lose her train of thought and started visibly shaking with nerves. After about 5 seconds one of the Ordenreich Paladins steps forward.*

Marcus: Apologies ma'am. Scribe Elania just graduated from apprentice scribe to a full scribe. She is well qualified to be our diplomat but she is young and lacks real world experience. She'll grow into her position though. I am Knight Commander Marcus of the Ordenreich Paladins, Fumantarii Brigades. I was sent to be an aid for our new ambassador as she settles into her new role and I am a fully qualified scout for the Ordenreich Paladins. I have been ordered to aid in the finding and securing of one Doctor Thorgood. Pleasure to meet you ma'am.

*Marcus then crosses his right arm across his chest in the Ordenreich's version of a salute*

Jenova graciously welcomes the Talent as well as the Heraklean officer. The Ordenreich scribe makes her day, though.

"Perfect," Jenova responds. "Welcome Elania." She's pretty excited. "Thank you Paladin, and your aid will be solicited if required. However I do believe that it is time that this good scribe learns something about tracking, and something about tea brews!"

In any case, Jenova gathers the ambassadors and gives them the very basic information. For those with prior contact with the Burninites, that about half the population of Burnination basically resides as dangerous, non-sentient wildlife may come as a surprise. But Jenova furnishes them all with a picture of Thorgood, and says that he is indeed one of the Feral.

"I don't know what you've been briefed on, but basically the Burninites who haven't conquered their minds - we call them Ferals - are to be treated as insane grizzly bears, and they run wild outside our little corner of this world.

"We just need to find this one particular Feral, and bring him in alive. We've got a very good idea of his location, so we're going to go in on foot.

"But before we go, I have made us all tea."

She does distribute tea cups and produces a kettle from somewhere, but distributes nothing in the manner of nonlethal weaponry.

"Any questions?"

While shaking his head, Talent Khoroushi, says, "Afraid not."

The transport takes Jenova and the ambassadorial location squad to a shielded-off section of jungle. In total it's about two square miles. Definitely not more. They are permitted to use material on their ships for tracking, but note that Burninites are plants. So... basically what I'm saying is that a sensor will have trouble distinguishing a Feral from the surrounding vegetation.

Jenova intends to accompany the interesting Ordenreich diplomat, just in case. The others, she is confident, can handle themselves.

"So," Talent Khoroushi asked before he departed from the transport, "is there anything we should be aware of while searching for Doctor Thorgood? Any distinguishing features? Some genetic material, perhaps? Or are we left to do this the old fashioned way?"

"I have pictures of the man, and we know he is here. We will be dropped where he entered this area. And yes, you should be aware that all other Burninites in this region are Feral, and you should avoid letting them touch you, especially in the face."

Elania: Wh... why in the face...? If you don't mind me asking...

*Elania was clearly extremely nervous of everything thats going on especially at what the Burninite said. She noticeably was cowering behind her Paladin escort.*

Marcus: Don't worry ma'am. I was assigned to guard you and I would die before I would let anything touch you.

*Marcus then turned his head to Jenova.*

Marcus: I will repeat the ambassador's question though. What is the significance of being touched in the face. Also these are your people but feral normally means extremely dangerous. What are the rules of engagement?

"Ah, perhaps the Ordenreich hasn't completely compiled reports on the changes in Burninite physiology.

"Essentially, Ferals are exactly the same as sentient Burninites like myself, but they have not attained sentience. They are dangerous in the same way that any other wild animal is dangerous. They are just not sentient. As for the significance of being touched in the face, they are capable of performing a sort of mind meld that you would see from the Jedis of Rhea. And it is my general idea that being scratched by the puny fingernails of a Burninite is annoying, but being mind-melded is a tad worse," Jenova finishes, holding up her admittedly puny fingernails.

"Look, like every wild animal, they generally won't attack you unless you frighten them. I promise that no harm will come to you.

"And as for rules of engagement, if you see a Burninite that isn't the man in this picture, ignore it. If attacked, you can likely outrun a feral since they are quite slow, or you can press a call button to me on your communicator, and we'll beam you out of danger."

Lowering his headset, Talent Khoroushi looks at the picture more closely for a brief moment he looks at it very intently. Then, satisfied, he says to the others, "Duly noted. If I see this man, then I will notify the others of him immediately. Unless you have anything further to suggest, I am quite ready."

Then, after tapping his wrist-mounted datapad, a faint but quite visible blue glow surrounded the outline of his body. He then readied a small baton in his sidearm, which appeared to be a stunning tool of some sort.

*Marcus nodded then placed the assault rifle he brought on his back and pulled out a small stun pistol for protection.*

Marcus: Still close ambassador.

*Scribe Elania nodded and took position behind the Knight Commander*

Jenova nods. "If there are no more questions, we will proceed." For herself, she is totally unarmed.

"Knight Marcus," she says, "quit feeding her need for protection!"

Assuming no more questions, the transport opens, and the party can begin searching. There are obvious burninite footprints near the hatch, but they disappear quickly into the underbrush. There are no Burninites in the immediately obvious line of sight. Well, except Jenova.

Stepping out, Talent Khoroushi's headset began to hum in activity, projecting a visual overlay in his field of vision, and scanning the surrounding for anything that might be of interest, as well as alerting him of any incoming activity. Keeping his stun baton close, he ventured into the forest, the headset highlighting the tracks as far as they could reasonably be followed.

*scribe elania and Marcus walked alongside the burninite. Elania kept looking around curious while the knight commander walked alongside keeping his head pointing straight but watching his HUD closely as little dots indicating a multitude of animals and maybe some feral burninites danced all over the HUD. He remained alert just in case those dots suddenly started converging on the group*

"Scribe Elania, Knight Marcus!  Over here please," called Commodore Prisca to the Ordenreich representatives on this adventure.   "See these tracks here, Scribe Elania?"

"They're... animal tracks, yes?"

"Indeed they are.  But notice how all of them move in the same direction.  All of them were spooked by something.  Something traveling roughly in... that direction."  The ex-marine tracker pointed in a direction.  "Quite possibly Doctor Thorgood."

"But these tracks won't show the entire path he took."  Commodore Prisca smiled.

"Are you familiar with how the position of an electron is determined?  It has to interact with a photon.  That interaction changes the direction of the electron's travel, but it does allow us to know the position of the electron at that time.  We can repeat that to determine the electrons position at a different time.  Do you see what I'm driving at?"

"That... by finding the tracks of all the spooked animals, we can track whatever spooked them?"  Commodore Prisca tapper her nose with her index finger.

"Right on the money."

OOC: Hope what I did with you characters is all right Sacae.

Elania: So we are heading towards something that clearly has animals running scared. Thats seems...

*Marcus interjected*

Marcus: Ill-advised? Sure but this is our best bet to find the good doctor. The closer you are to danger the farther you are from harm right?

Elania: Thats makes no sense Knight Commander...

Marcus: Maybe. but I'm still alive right?

*Marcus fell into step with the others and Elania huffed at Marcus's remark but also wordlessly fell into step*

Jenova smiles gleefully and follows the lead of the others, clapping Elania on the back. Though obviously interested in Elania, Jenova seems quite respectful of the Heraklean ambassador as well. Doctor Fedorov would be able to tell these things, having been inside Jenova's mind. Perhaps it is that the ambassador from Alpha Centauri isn't her, but Jenova doesn't take to him as quickly.

The Centauri ambassador tracks the tracks to a serene brook, where they end. He sees no tracks from there. The obvious assumption is travel along the brook, though it would be difficult to tell direction.

The Heraklean/Ordenreich/Jenova party, at this time, is still traveling. They track plenty of small to medium animals which are indeed moving as indicated by the Commodore.

One thing neither party as spotted is a Feral.