Scene Three: Rock Pit

Cid also starts to think things through, humming slightly as he does. "Well, I don't believe it would be the best idea to go straight in and start asking questions. I believe it would be best for us to scout the settlement out a little bit, if it's around working time we should probably look over the farmlands where this guy is working and send one person in to ask around for Ithai Mazhar. A whole group asking questions would certainly bring a lot more questions about how come none of us have been seen before and why we are searching for him. Any thoughts or suggestions from the peanut gallery?" he was referring to the rest of the group as he starts looking around at each of the others in the vehicle to see if they have anything to add or interject.

Ice avoids a nasty looking pot hole which of course meant hitting a fairly rough patch of ground to do it. He had already explained several times that he was doing his best to make it a smooth ride but that was nearly impossible considering how rough and rocky the ground was. "Well, I would suggest a pair. Always best to work in pairs. They might suspect a single wanderer more so than a pair of wanderers. Perhaps

Cid

you and Alexis."

Alexis has been listening to the conversation. She looks up.

"I agree. A couple would be less obvious. So, who is going in with me?"

Alexis smiles at the guys.

Cid nods as Alexis agrees to Ices statement. "Sounds like a good idea than, two of us go. So Alexis, you want to be my nurse?" Cid grinned widely back at her before continuing with the joke. "Unfortunately, I left the nurses uniform back at headquarters."

"Of course the professor could also go as he is the main contact and the man may not want to speak with strangers if he doesn't know we are actually helping the professor."

Cid looked to Ice now, "So how much longer until we get to a good drop off location for the settlement?"

Alexis sat quietly as the explorer bounced over the rough terrain.

"Pull up to a good spot for now. Let's check to see if we can get closer or have to walk in from here."

Alexis looks around the cab of the explorer for a pair of binoculars.

Cody listens to the debate, he can see the point of being less obvious, but then two strangers in a frontier town will stand out like the proverbial sore thumb anyway. Even so he accepts two strangers is less newsworthy than a group the size of the team. When its suggested the professor go too he frowns.

"If the the prof goes would you feel able to protect him, just the two of you like that? Don't get me wrong its likely you'd walk in have a little chat then walk back out again, but what if there is trouble, where do you want us so we can back you up?"

Cid senses a little bit of confusion from what he originally meant. "Well, I will be of little physical protection, but I can't imagine farmers being too violent and I doubt that they have that many guards on patrol for humanoids. What I was meaning to say is that if the professor needed to go, perhaps the professor and Alexis head to town instead of the three of us. Either way, I still suggest we do a bit of scouting and recon before we send anyone in - that way we can get a lay of the land and a general feeling for the people." Cid hoped this helped clarify his position, though he would be happier if the professor stayed with the team - he wanted to make sure that the contact would talk to them without the professor.

"I'm sure it'll be fine..." Cody answers with a straight face, "So long as they are only farmers, we've never been to this ball before so we don't know for sure who or what is here. Yeah, recon is a must, I'd taken that as read to be honest, it should be standard practice where we the have time and the means." he finishes.

Within 1 km of the Agricultural settlement it becomes obvious that you are close as green house enclosures appear. They are long, rectangular domes, about 100 m by 20 m, 3 m high at the highest point, placed where ever there is flat terrain. Tracks in the dirt and sand show where vehicles move to and between them. There are several rock escarpments scattered about, some large enough to hide the explorer behind. On the horizon can be seen the small buildings of the settlement in front of a large tower in the farther background, part of the mine itself.

Ice pulls the explorer into what appears to be a fairly secluded spot with plenty of cover. He stops the explorer and turns back and looks at the others saying, "Okay folks were here. You all have fun and I'll be sure to keep the motor runnin' just in case." He gives the others a quick smile. "Oh and considering that we had a tail when we left, and illegal cops when we arrived at the station, there might be a good chance that there will be um... friends to greet us here as well. So perhaps there may be more than farmers out there so might be best if the professor stays here. Oh and I thought we were sending in Alexis the protector and an investigator type to get the information we need did that part of the plan change?"

Sorry kbrn62 do not want you to think I ignored your post just trying to slip into the current sequence which seemed to have moved past that point. Still you might have been searching for those binoculars and while you are searching I drive and find out current hidey hole. That would be rather humorous though. Alexis searching for binocs and then hearing we are there.