While Heyop and Dagger get themselves prepared, carefully applying some camo paint to their faces, Kaveri sneaks off quietly into the trees and takes a look around. Shortly after Kaveri slips into the trees, she's completely disappeared -- without a sound or sight giving away her position.
Kaveri is able to sneak fairly close to the mercenaries through the cover provided by the trees -- while it's not particularly thick, she has "ridden this varactyl" before and knows her way around alpine forests to find what she seeks. While sneaking about, she is able to see that the mercenaries are equiped with Blaster Pistols -- and seem to be quietly discussing the latest now-illegal-thanks-to-the-Empire pod-racing results on Malastare. "That crazy Dug," she overhears, "is taking too many chances -- his engine boosts are well past the safety guidelines for even people who boost engines. He's lucky he doesn't create some kind of fireball at the starting line." His colleague appears less concerned about the fate of this overclocking Dug, however.
In her position Kaveri notices several items that could help move past the mercenaries without conflict. First and foremost, it might be possible to scale up and down the ravine further downstream. Still the way looks somewhat treacherous and it'd take someone with excellent physical skills to pull it off. There's no way Dagger could do it without help -- the way he's built it seems like a stiff breeze might launch him from the cliffside. The mercenaries themselves seem barely professional. Based on their poise, outfitting and conversation -- it doesn't seem like a sufficiently convincing story would make it hard to bluff your way past. Lastly, as Kaveri turns back towards the party, having reconnoitered sufficiently, she spots a small cave entrance on the north wall. It's possible it could lead somewhere, but... it's really rather hard to tell.
to perception.
and 1 
