Missions of the Retrieval Team - Land of the Kilts

[Arlen]

Ooooh, getting good!

[davedove]

Scene 8

A small passenger plane over the Guyana Highlands

Ms. Falcon flew the plane low over the jungle, barely over the tops of the trees. Even at this low level, it was impossible to see anything through the leaves.

Everyone was watching through the windows intently, hoping to see any sign of people.

I moved up to the cockpit, where Ms. Falcon and Ms. Swan were seated.

“How’s our fuel holding out?” I asked.

“We’ve only got a few minutes left,” Ms. Falcon answered. “Because we had to fly so far just to get to the area, there's not much fuel left to search, not if we want to make it back.”

“I know, but we just couldn’t locate an airstrip any closer where we could refuel. Turn back just before we reach the no-return point.”

I moved back to the cabin and checked on everyone there. I noticed Frank rubbing his eyes.

“Take a break if you need one,” I told him.

“No, I’ll be okay,” he answered. “Are you sure there’s no beer on board?”

“Sorry, we had to keep the weight down, so we only packed essentials for the trip.”

“And beer isn’t essential?” he asked with a laugh.

I laughed along with him and moved on down the aisle.

“Dave,” Kevin called me over. “I think there’s something over there,” he said, pointing out the window.

I looked out of his window and noticed what looked like a small clearing in the jungle.

“You may be right,” I told him. “Falcon,” I called up to the cockpit. “There is a clearing off to the right. Swing over that way so we can check it out.”

“Will do,” she called back. I felt the plane bank as she turned the plane.

“On the first pass, keep the clearing on the right,” I told her. “Then, on the second pass, put it on the left. That way we can have different sets of eyes on the search.”

“Everyone,” I addressed the people in the cabin. “There is a clearing coming up on the right. Check it out and look for any sign of people, especially our people. On our first pass, those on the right search the clearing; you on the left keep watch on your own side for anything else. On the second pass, switch roles.”

As the plane neared the clearing we examined the clearing.

“I see smoke,” said Kevin.

“And small buildings,” said Frank.

As we neared the clearing, we could all see several small building in the clearing, most with smoke coming from chimney pipes set in the roof. The clearing was next to a hillside and all the buildings formed a half-circle around a small structure set into the hill.

“It looks like a mining camp,” said Ms. Hawk.

That was all we saw on our first pass and we waited for the plane to circle around. I moved over to watch out the left side.

“There is a group of people,” said Jock as we neared the second time.

“They’re doing something,” Greg noticed.

I looked at the group of people more closely. Several of them were watching the plane, but two of them were working with something in a box. One of the men picked up a long tubular device and set it on his shoulder, pointing it towards the plane.

I new instantly what it was. “Missile!” I yelled out. “Falcon, get us out of here!”

The plane banked sharply as Falcon turned the plane away from the clearing. I gripped the seat tightly so that I could keep watching the men below. As I watched, a small burst of fire and smoke came out of both ends of the missile launcher.

“They’ve fired!” I warned.

I quickly moved up to the cockpit.

“Can you outmaneuver it?” I asked Ms. Falcon.

“Not in this heap,” she answered. She pulled back on the control stick and the plane started to rise. “The best I can do is gain some altitude so that I have some breathing room to find a good place to crash land.”

Just then an explosion was heard and felt throughout the plane and I was thrown to the floor.

“We’re hit!” called Ms. Hawk from the cabin.

[greenman11]

You have hanging by a cliff!

[davedove]

Scene 9

A small passenger plane over the Guyana Highlands

I scrambled to pull myself back to my feet.

“Status!” I yelled.

“I’ve lost a lot of control and power,” Ms. Falcon reported, struggling to hold the controls steady.

“The missile hit the right engine,” Ms. Hawk reported from the cabin. “It’s on fire.”

“Anywhere to land?” I asked.

“Do you see anywhere?” Ms. Falcon shot back. “All I see are trees and mountains. The only clearing was back with the people who shot at us, and it is nowhere big enough to land in, even if I could get the plane back there. My controls are nearly frozen; it’s all I can do to keep us straight and level.”

“Do we bail out?” I asked.

“Unless you want to ride it down, and I don’t recommend that. This plane will either go down in the trees or against the side of a mountain, and neither one is favorable to our survival.”

“Right,” I replied. “Swan, get in the back and initiate the emergency evacuation. Get the dogs hooked up to their assigned partners and get everyone out of the plane.”

When Ms. Swan evacuated her seat, I sat down and grabbed the copilot controls.

After a few moments, Ms. Swan called out, “Ready!”

“Get them out of here!” I ordered.

I heard my associates getting the team out of the door as I helped Ms. Falcon keep the plane steady.

“All out!” I heard Ms. Swan report.

“Go, we’re right behind you!” I ordered.

“You too,” Ms. Falcon told me.

“No, we go together.”

“I can’t. If I let go of the controls now, the plane will pitch too much for anyone to get out. You have to go now.” I heard the desperation in her voice and turned to look at her. She met my gaze and tears filled her eyes.

“Please Dave,” she pleaded. “Go!”

I knew right then what she planned to do. The odds were against her surviving a crash, but it was possible that she might. I stood from the seat and grabbed one of the remaining parachutes.

After strapping the pack on, I placed my hand on her shoulder. “I’ll come after you Susie,” I promised.

Unable to release the controls, she placed her cheek against my hand. “I know,” she said, “now get out of here.”

I quickly moved back to the open cabin door and glanced back at her. Then I turned and jumped out of the door.

I tumbled out into the open air and pulled the ripcord as soon as I had cleared the plane. Twisting around, I watched the plane as it descended.

The plane’s flight was taking it directly towards one of the tepuis. As I drifted down, I saw the plane pass over the top of the mountain and disappear from view. After just a moment, I heard the impact of metal as the plane crashed atop the mesa.

[davedove]

Scene 10

The Guyana Highlands

As I floated down in the parachute, I quickly pulled the compass from my survival vest. I noted the direction that the plane had flown so that I could track back to find the rest of my team.

I put the compass back in its pouch and prepared myself to land. Parachuting into a forested area is tricky at best and downright dangerous for those inexperienced with it, and I was far from an expert.

I pulled my arms in close so that they wouldn’t catch any branches and potentially break a bone. With my feet close together I penetrated the leaves. I tried to cover my face as well as I could as the branches whipped against me.

I was prepared to hit the ground when the canopy of the parachute caught in the branches. I jerked to a stop and my remaining momentum cause me to swing against the trunk of the tree, taking the impact against my side.

I swung from the chute for several moments as I recovered from the collision and then took stock of my situation. Looking down, I saw that I was about six feet off the ground, an easy drop. I looked up to see where the chute was tangled. It was snagged over a broken branch, but it looked like it could be dislodged.

I reached up and gathered the lines of the chute in my hands. I began to swing and bounce to get the chute untangled. As I watched, the chute began to slowly edge towards the end of the branch. Inch by inch, the chute crept down the branch when suddenly the canopy ripped and I dropped to the ground, landing flat on my back.

The drop had knocked the wind from me, so I lay there until I could again breath. I pushed myself up to a seated position and did an inventory of my equipment. Because we had only been doing an aerial recon of the area, I didn’t have a full field pack of supplies; all I had on was a survival vest.

The first item I checked was the small radio in the vest. I pulled it out, but I saw quickly that I wouldn’t be able to use it, at least not immediately. When I had collided with the trunk of the tree, the radio had been caught between me and the tree, breaking its plastic body. Turning it on, I could get nothing from it.

The compass was still working, so I would be able to backtrack along the planes flight path and find the rest of my team.

Other than that, I had a knife, an automatic pistol with one clip holding fifteen rounds, emergency food and water rations for three days, a small first aid kit, and a small survival kit.

I took off the parachute pack and opened the vest. I gently examined where I had struck the tree. I would be bruised and tender for a while, but nothing was broken.

I quickly gathered up the canopy and lines of the parachute and stuffed them back into the pack. It obviously could not be used for a parachute again, but the lines and canopy could be used to fashion a shelter. It was still several hours before nightfall, but it was likely I would have to spend the night in the jungle.

I closed the vest again and pulled out the compass to get my bearings. Noting which way the plane had flown; I took the opposite direction so I could find my team.

I put away the compass, slung the parachute pack over my shoulder, and headed in the direction of my team.

[Livingston]

We're headed your way as quickly as we can, Mr. Dove. We need both you and Ms. Falcon and aren't sure who stayed with the plane until over the tepuis.

[davedove]

Scene 11

The Guyana Highlands

As I made my through the the jungle, I did my best to maintain a steady bearing. I would use my compass to determine my bearing of travel, find a landmark in my view along that bearing, and then make my way to that landmark. Once I reached the landmark, I started the process all over again.

Ms. Crane had been the first person out of the plane, followed by Ms. Hawk. The other members of the team would have followed, ending with Ms. Swan right before me. Since my associates and I were the end points of the landings, we would move towards each other, trying to locate the others as we moved.

The dogs had each been paired with one of the other people in the team for the jump, strapped in a harness and connected to that person’s own harness. It was not a great solution, but was the only way to save the dogs.

Although my associates were probably unharmed or only minorly wounded, like me, I hoped the others on the team weren’t seriously injured.

I had walked for about two hours and not seen anyone, not even a sign of their passing. Of course, the jungle was thick, so it would be easy for two people to pass near each other without knowing.

I sat down and pulled out the radio again. I gently opened the cracked case and examined the electronics inside. I soon found the problem, but I knew I would not be able to use the radio. Several of the circuits had snapped in the impact and I would be unable to repair them without a soldering iron.

As I put the radio away, I thought I heard movement behind me. I examined the jungle, but saw nothing. Listening carefully, I could make out no sounds.

Not sure if I really had heard something, I again took a bearing and continued on my path. I continued to watch and listen closely as I walked to my next landmark.

Again, I thought a sound come from behind me, so I turned around to look behind as I continued to walk. With my attention diverted, I didn’t notice the rocks in my path until I tripped over them and fell to the ground.

I felt the twist to my ankle as my foot wedged between the rocks. I sat up to examine my ankle and found that my foot was wedged securely in the gap between the rocks. I bent forward to pry my foot carefully from the gap.

When I heard the slight thump from behind me, I twisted my head back quickly to see what it was.

A large jaguar, the largest I had ever seen, was bounding towards me in a killing pounce. I fumbled to pull the pistol from the vest, but I knew I would never get the gun ready before the big cat was on me.

I looked back to see the jaguar in mid-air, its large jaws open, its sharp teeth coming straight for my head.

[Jock Scot]

Things are looking a wee bit tricky.What?

[davedove]

Commercial Break

A Small Home

We see an older woman entering the house while carrying two large bags of groceries. As she sets the bags on the counter, two Golden Retrievers come trotting into the room to greet her.

She pets the two dogs, but pulls her head back when one of the dogs nears.

“Oh, Hector, what have you been eating this time?” she asks the dog.

We hear the announcer’s voice. “Is your dog’s breath less than pleasant or even downright rank? It doesn’t have to be.”

The woman gets up and returns to the bags of groceries. She pulls out a small box with the label ‘Sweet Doggy Breath.’

“Sweet Doggy Breath is the latest product from Freelander Industries. Its special formula neutralizes the odor causing particles that form in your dog’s mouth, leaving your dog not with doggy breath, but with sweet breath.”

The woman opens the box and pulls out a small object. She leans over and feeds it to the dog, who happily chews it.

“Dogs love its meaty flavor and chewy texture. Just one treat cleans your dog’s mouth of all offensive smells so you can again face him.”

After the dog finishes the treat, the woman again squats down to pet him. This time the dog’s breath is inoffensive and the woman happily pets him.

“Sweet Doggy Breath, so you can stay close to your pet.”

[davedove]

Scene 12

The Guyana Highlands

I threw my arms up to try and divert the jungle cat’s attack, but I knew I was in trouble.

Suddenly, the cat was knocked to the side by a large blur of shaggy fur. The cat hit the ground to my side and rolled, with the shaggy animal right behind it.

The shaggy form turned out to be a large dog, which stood between me and the cat, warning the jaguar away. The jaguar regained its feet and stalked back and forth, frustrated that it had been denied its prey.

The dog made a threatening growl and the cat slinked away to find easier prey.

“Wompet?” I said in disbelief.

The big dog turned and bounded towards me, its tag wagging furiously. I noticed as he ran, that he placed no weight on his right rear leg, as though it were injured.

He reached me and began licking my face in joyful greeting. I took him in my arms and gladly stroked his fur.

“Wompet, old buddy, I believe I owe you a steak for that.”

I pushed the dog away so I could free my foot. I examined it and found that no serious damage had been done. My ankle would be sore for a while, but I could still walk on it.

“Let’s take a look at your leg, Wompet.”

The dog, knowing I would help him, stood still as I looked at his leg. There was a wound there that had become infected in the jungle environment. Wompet whimpered as I gently prodded the area around the wound.

“Somebody shot at you, didn’t they?” I said as I realized the source of the wound. The bullet had not entered, but simply creased the skin. If I didn’t do something, however, it would fester and get worse.

I dug the first aid kit out of my vest and pulled out the disinfectant. I cleaned the wound as gently as I could and applied the ointment. Wompet whimpered as I worked on him, but I could tell he knew I was trying to help.

“That’s all I can do for you right now boy. What happened to you? Why are you out here all alone?”

Of course, the dog couldn’t answer me, but he looked at me in understanding.

“Where are the others, Wompet? Can you take me to them?”

Wompet got on his feet and started into the jungle. He turned around and acted as if I should follow him.

I picked up my gear and followed the dog as he moved through the jungle. I made careful note of my bearing and the distance we were traveling.