[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/3DiiKjU.png[/img][/center][center][color=ff4500][h3][u][b] J A C K S O N    J E N K I N S [/b][/u][/h3]South West of Landing[/color][/center]
A mechanical roar erupted over the canopy of the impenetrable rainforest, forcing the calls of the native wildlife into submission. The two pilots within their speeding hauler were on a life saving operation with time pitted very much against them. They had minutes to get to their intended location, enough to count on a single hand, and yet it would be an absolute miracle if they were to make it in time. 

[color=6e757e]"Down there!"[/color] directed the co-pilot, leaning over towards the front windshield in order to gaze out into the wilderness. He had spotted a red stream of smoke rising calmly through the trees, it was a signal flare from the missing Wasp.

Jackson jerked back on the control wheel of the aircraft, hooking the vehicle into a sudden roll as he redirected their pathway towards the smoke plumes. The co-pilot, failing to predict JJ's sudden actions, was thrown back into his seat, slamming the back of his skull against the head rest. He wasn't furious, he simply showed little emotion to the discomfort that he had just experienced, it was not the time to act like a wuss.

They approached the crash site as Jackson shifted his sights towards his co-pilot, [color=ff4500]"I'm gonna jump for them."[/color]

[color=6e757e]"Are you kidding me?"[/color] the co-pilot returned with a look of astonishment, unsure if Jackson was understanding the seriousness of the situation, [color=6e757e]"I can't fly this thing on my own! I've only been in the air for a week so let me go down inste—"[/color]

The concerns fell on deaf ears as Jackson keyed his command into the hauler dashboard, sending the control console sliding across the front panel and over to his partner. The boy looked at its grandness in fear, slowly inching his hands closer so that he could switch from back seat driver to pilot of the flyer. He watched as Jackson moved out of his seat and towards the rear of the Hauler, picking up a chest harness along the way. The ex-pilot reached up into the rafters and pulled down a winch cable, attaching it first to the safety gear and then onto his own back. With a push of a button on the wall the floor began to fold it's way back, revealing the lush green jungle below.

[color=6e757e]"C-coming up on site..."[/color] the younger of the two announced just as the clouds of red smoke began to waft their way around the hauler. As they hovered in the air Jackson could see hints of yellow amongst the ground, a sign that this was definitely the crash site they were looking for. This was it, the daring moment. With a deep breath and the feeling of time slowing down to a crawl, Jackson let his body fall out of the aircraft in a bungee style drop.

The wind rushed around his torso as he fell, whipping his matted hair back towards the skies, fluttering his loose clothing like a flag in a cyclone. The ground was fast approaching towards the male as his eyes shifted from it's usual dirty brown to a much more vivid and vibrant gold. Jackson's speed promptly began to decrease as the new sensation of weightlessness took over. His mass began to twist and turn under it's own inertia until eventually he collapsed on the ground below in a rag-doll heap. He hadn't mastered the art of landing on his feet quite yet.

[color=6e757e][i]"Jesus Christ!"[/i][/color] The voice echoed through Jackson's headpiece, [color=6e757e][i]"That ability of yours has turned you into some crazy ass son of a bitch."[/i][/color]

Jackson laughed, giving the cable a tug so that he had a fair amount of slack to move around. [color=ff4500]"Well at least my Lunos is useful, right Bubbles?"[/color]

A heavy groan could be heard over the radio waves, [color=6e757e][i]"Yeah yeah... I blow bubbles out of my mouth. Can you see the pilot anywhere?"[/i][/color]

By this point in time Jackson had located the downed Wasp, and climbed onto the metal frame. He peered over the debris and into the cockpit seat to see a barely conscious male, covered in blood and oil, [color=ff4500]"Yeah, I found the pilot. Lucky bastard if you ask m..."[/color] JJ froze for a moment. He peered deeply into the surrounding brush, certain that he heard something... inhuman.

[color=ff4500]"Pull me up,"[/color] he whispered cautiously into the intercom.

[color=6e757e][i]"Don't you wanna chec—"[/i][/color]

[color=ff4500]"Bubbles... I do not wanna become mog'romp chow so when I say pull me up, you pull me up!"[/color]

A flurry of curse words could be heard in Jackson's ear. The man snapped his sights towards the length of slack on the ground, watching it tighten and return back into the hauler. [color=ff4500]"This is gonna hurt,"[/color] JJ warned as he bear hugged the injured pilot just as their two combined bodies jolted up vertically towards the cargo bay.

The foliage below tore open with a trio of white, striped felines bounded into the area with one gazing upwards towards the two humans. They was hungry, starving for a meal, and this wasn't going to let this lunch meal get away so easily. With their razor sharp claws extended and a series of powerful bounds, the pack of mog'romps used the closest tree as a climbing post to leap upwards for their kill. JJ's eyes glowed as he desperately attempted to reduce his weight as much as possible, further increasing the speed of the ascent. They had just cleared the canopy when the alpha beast reached the highest branch, hissing at the escapees for being so savvy; it was a close call to say the least.

Jackson and the injured pilot entered into the hauler with the floor panel closing up underneath them. [color=6e757e]"We all secure and sound?"[/color] called out a voice from the front of the aircraft.

[color=ff4500]"Yeah,"[/color] replied Jackson, feeling exhausted from the ordeal, [color=ff4500]"Sounds like a plan. This planet is more dangerous than what I could have ever expected."[/color]

[color=6e757e]"Still better than what we had."[/color]

Jackson sighed. His partner was right. Awilix was a terrifying place but it was still better than the limited time they had back on Earth.
[center][color=8882be][h3]◈    ◈    ◈    ◈    ◈[/h3][/color][/center][center][color=32cd32][h3][u][b] C E R R I D W E N    L A N K E R F I E L D [/b][/u][/h3]The City of Landing[/color][/center]
[color=6e757e]"This is quite beyond unacceptable! Eight thousand square kilometers and our workers have only managed to clear out a maximum of two in the last month!"[/color]
[color=6e757e]"Kilometers, miles... Seriously old man will you speak in a language that we all can understand."[/color]
[color=6e757e]"I will speak however I please, you insolent yankie boy!"[/color]
[color=6e757e]"Will you two loud mouths just quit derailing the topic... —"[/color]

One month after the arrival on Awilix and the first of many city meetings was being held within the center spire of Landing, a collection of several newly formed departments to which all of them wanted to have their say on the matters at hand. It should have been a civil conversation but as the minutes progressed on it quickly became apparent that these self-elected bureaucrats were nothing more than self-centerd businessmen. Each of them sat around a large elliptical table, throwing out their mindless opinions, shutting down the discussion of needs and instead arguing with the discussion of wants.

The first of these notable individual was also the one causing the majority of the ruckus, a man known simply as Fáng Quan. Mr Quan was a business tycoon from the Asian region back on Earth, a powerful rarity for his time and one who managed to single handily own 15% of all trade business within the South-East Asian region. It is unclear how such an older figurehead had managed to secure himself a position within the Noah II but when the coinage within your pocket equals more than the yearly salary of your regular citizen, it isn't too hard to figure out how he managed to do so.

Disputing against him and with such enthusiasm was a much younger, mid to late 20s male by the name of Carson McCreary. With the low qualifications of a traffic cop and a high level of determination, Carson had decided to take on the role of Landing's security. He knew from the start that it was going to be a challenge but if it meant that he could get under the skin of questionable individuals such as Mr Quan then he was glad to take on the role.

It was during their verbal duel when Annabelle Harroway stepped in, [color=6e757e]"— So far for the past half an hour you two have acted more like children then actual men. It should not get to the point where [i]youngest[/i] member of this cabinet has to give a parental talk to two older males. So if you don't mind then [i]maybe[/i] we can get back to discussing the topic of how we are going to deal with the growing problems that this city has created?"[/color]

[color=32cd32]"Annabelle is right,"[/color] injected a mechanical voice from the only, non-living representative on the board, [color=32cd32]"I in particular would like to know how we are going to tackle the Eidolon problem?"[/color]

[color=6e757e]"See! Miss Lankerfield does have a vali—"[/color] Carson's words were cut short.

[color=32cd32]"Carson McCreary. You will either call me by my name Cerridwen, or Dr. Lankerfield. I did not spend several years of my life devoted to the creation the cryogenic pods for you to refer to me as a low-level Mistress. Now, continue..."[/color]

[color=6e757e]"Err, yes,"[/color] Carson took a sip of his water glass, feeling as though his very soul had been pierced by an arrow of dominance, especially from a talking toaster. [color=6e757e]"Ahem... As I was about to say, earlier last night we had yet another killing by Eidolon. My people are still yet to identify the victim but this is the second of such killings since Landing's arrival."[/color]

[color=32cd32]"How certain are you that it is them?"[/color] Cerridwen queried, ensuring that he had some evidence to his empty accusations

[color=6e757e]"Well, they wrote in blood, on the floor mind you, the exact time that the body would be discovered, even down to the seconds."[/color] Carson placed his palm on the table, loading up the holographic projection of the crime scene. The image rotated around displaying a visual light show of all the details including the body and the haunting numeral message. While Cerridwen was not phased by the images that she witnessed, Annabelle turned her head away from the projection. A level of disgust boiled inside her of how this man was so willing to share sensitive photos to such a large group of people. Carson noticed the girl's expression, realising that it was probably not the best practice to bring up crime scene photos during a pseudo government discussion. He quickly released his palm off the table, forcing the display piece to disappear from existence.

[color=6e757e]"I would like to request a fifteen minute break..."[/color] Annabelle softly opened, hoping that someone would acknowledge her plea. She had a sensitive stomach and wished to venture out for some fresh air.

Cerridwen turned her sights towards the female next to her, noticing the emotions of disrelish, [color=32cd32]"Once again, Annabelle is right. Let us take a short break and come back to this with a greater sense of aptitude."[/color]

The android watched as every other member began to vacate their seats. Following suit she began to push herself out of the chair, the servos in her body giving the slightest of whirs as they moved about. As the large group of representatives proceeded towards the entrance door, heading outside for some much needed fresh air, she did the exact opposite and headed towards the window to gaze out upon the city below. Instinctively she rested her arm up against her window and pressed her forehead against the glass. A touch of fog from her breath would have been a beautiful sight, but it's absence only reminded her of how she was still a prisoner to the cryogenic pods.

[color=6e757e]"Such an assertive woman,"[/color] Cerridwen was caught offguard, but not startled. She hadn't expected Fáng to linger around in order to talk to her. [color=6e757e]"Such a prominent technologist, and yet you have been demoted to a form less than human."[/color] Mr Quan plucked out a cigar from his breast pocket, slipping it into his lips and lighting the end with a chrome lighter. He puffed away, breathing out clouds of white smoke, imitating that of a legendary dragon.

Cerridwen examined the reflection in the window, sizing up the tycoon and wondering what his twisted agenda may be, the true reason for joining this board of directors. [color=32cd32]"What is it that you want this time Fáng?"[/color] she scowled into the glass, ensuring that he could see her displeased expression.

Fáng's teeth sharpened as he presented his trademark, sinister grin. [color=6e757e]"Nothing right this very moment, but some day that may change. You understand how it is; Business, control."[/color]

[color=32cd32]"Whatever it is that you are offering, I do not want it."[/color]

[color=6e757e]"As I said before... Not right now, but who knows... you may just might change your mind."[/color]

Cerridwen watched as he turned away to eventually leave the room, knowing full well that he was pushing his limits to see how far he could test the lone engineer. She gazed back through the window, finally able to enjoy the view in peace.