Blood and Dust

Write stories with friends. Open them up for anyone to participate, or for a set group of people. Either way everyone can enjoy the journey.

NOTE: All entries and replies are to be In Character. There is usually a comment thread in the Stories/Journal Comments forum for OOC comments and questions.
Bean
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 11:14 pm

Re: Blood and Dust

Post by Bean »

Ord Padron

The Sabel had gone to ground hard. Heavily modified when she still flew, a high-speed skid through the sand had done it's own special alterations. The amphibious transport lay pitched on her side, the upper "wing" structure and two of the engines torn off, presumably laying somewhere in the sand storm out of sight. Most of the cockpit glass had been shattered, and when Koga's eyes finally found the front of the ship, she moved the blaster under her robes to her hands, and her voice came over the commlink.

"Heads up, someone's been here. Replaced the glass, looks like they stuffed a blanket in there."

Darrando unholstered his pistol, and the two taller men found their own blades, the nautolan moving to a position just behind them, humming gently into the commlink. The various cats and the huurton perked up, moving to their respective people. Koga made it to the hatchway first, and Darrando quickly cut in front of Parodan, who grumbled and rolled his eyes, somewhere in the mass of cloth and glass covering his face. THe muzzle of Koga's blaster leading the way, they moved through the relatively small ship.

For having crashed into a desert, the ship was eerily tidy. Some sand in the corners, but none piled up as one might expect. More immediately concerning was the crude living area someone had made in one of the smaller rooms, on the skyward side of the ship. Parodan and Renell boosted Koga to the sideways hatch, and she crawled through, before muttering into the commlink.

"Whoever it is has been living here. Got a small bed, a hotplate... Something going on with a bunch of cans and a foul smell."

The two taller humans climbed up and through, and after careful examination of the cans, discovered what appeared to be a makeshift crystal farm. Small bits of string hung into a chemical bath, and already small crystalline formations were taking shape. All of the ones in the metal cans were a deep red color.

Par spoke up, "Any one else you showed this to would tell you it's weird, dark side, or both."

Renell nodded, "But we'll stick with just weird."

Koga moved deeper into the ship, towards the crew quarters. The rest of the party searched the first room, which contained little more than the bare necessities, aside from a fairly ornate wind chime made of bits of scrap. Eti ran her hand over it idly, before Koga spoke over the commlink again.

"Hey, Rando. You need to see this."

As he moved towards the sidelong hatchway at the back of the room, Eti touched his elbow. "Why are we still wearing the masks? THere's not much dust in here."

"When we crashed, a lot of the crew died on impact, and were never recovered. Their bodies should have stayed in here. But something's already wrong, Janx wasn't in the cockpit and everything is too clean." The Nautolan nodded, "And you didn't want to be breathing... Well."

Darrando crawled through the hatch, entering the bunk room. Arranged along the bulkhead-turned-floor, were five bundles, wrapped in blanket. Most of them were fairly small, two feet by two feet and about a foot tall. The last was a about fifty percent larger and far rounder. All of them had small flimsiplast labels attached to the blankets. The two humans stood in the room silently, staring.

Eti eventually joined them, crawling through the hatch, and joined them. "What are they?"

"Big one is Jooloon Kowl. Rest are Janx Halvig, Sesa Mawr, Deebo, and M'kass Tik," replied Koga, eyes not moving.

"The remains of the crew," added Rando. "This is getting to the really strange side of salvage."

Eti nodded, taking Rando hand and pulling him back towards the hatch. "We'll be sure to move them before we start pulling the ship."


As they stood talking idly in the makeshift living space, Eti tilted her head, looking towards the cockpit. "Someone nearby is concerned. Someone with a lot on their mind."

"We should move back to Glennis, plan our next move," stated Koga, and moved toward the hatch way. They emerged into the sandstorm, Eti looking off into the desert. The cats, already unhappy with the specially made masks, paced. Rioux was unphased, scratching at the sand and yipping happily as Rando emerged.

As if formed from the sand itself, a figure strode forward, moving towards them purposefully. Nearly two meters tall, the figure wore tattered, sand colored robes, and face coverings similar to the party's own. Hanging from an equally battered bandolier were a series of long objects, and tools.

The figure continued approaching, determined, as the party drew their weapons again, pointing at the arrival. With the flick of an arm, another weapon appeared, an unstable lightsaber blade, red. The figure spun on it's heel, a complete rotation, and the blade flew directly towards Eti. Parodan and Renell were already moving as the figure released the weapon, but were not enough to stop it.

The crude weapon flew over Eti's shoulder, and hung in the air. The snap of electricity, and the Nautolan flew forward moments before a moderate explosion engulfed the seemingly empty air where she once stood. The remains of an Imperial probe droid fell to the ground. Parodan caught the Nautolan, and a blue lightsaber blade appeared in Renell's hands.

The mystery figure held up his hands, and spoke in a deep voice. The langauge was flowing, poetic, and brief. Darrando lowered his weapon, motioning to the others. "Hold your fire! Par, Ren! Slow down!"

The voice spoke again. "Thank you, Darrando. It has been some time! I see Koga's efforts were not in vain. It brings me great joy to see you both alive, and in such esteemed company," came the statement, as the figure gestured towards Renell, still holding his saber. "My apologies, friends. A warning may have alerted my observers. But you may yet put those weapons to use today. I believe your arrival will force a response."

Parodan stepped forward in front of the group, a saber hilt in his own hand. "And who are you?"

"I have forgotten my manners! My name is Shagan-Ri. Welcome to my home!"

Eti's head tilted again, and a question came. "Shagan-Ri. Grixter's teacher?"

"Ahh, Grixter. A good man. I have missed him. How is he?"

Renell cleared his throat as the saber retracted. "He is... Missing, at the moment. There was an incident on Dantooine. No one seems to be able to find him."

"Come, inside, we can talk there."


The group piled into the ship again, and the tall figure removed his face coverings, revealing the tall skull structure of a Cerean. "I would usually offer tea, but circumstances are what they are. So, Grixter is missing? What happened?"

"First, we need to know who you are, beyond you knowing a name," interjected the tall red-head.

In the clear air of the ship, the items on the Cerean's belt and bandolier could be more clearly seen. One was a long blade, apparently fashioned from part of the structure of the ship itself. The other, similarly fashioned, was a long shaft with a thick metal orb on the end.

"I suppose that's fair. I did just throw what might be considered in some circles to be a lightsaber fairly close to the young one's head, and I can't imagine that has done anything to endear me to you. Once upon a time, I was known as Master Shagan-Ri, although the title always made me uncomfortable. The locals here have taken to calling me the Demon in the Storm, a name I can't say I like, but it serves to protect them as well as myself."

Now Darrando interrupted. "I picked him up on Jedha, just before the Death Star wrecked the place. He was hiding as a Guardian of some sort, and when we crashed here..."

"He was unconscious," added Koga. "Him and M'kass were still alive, but M'kass couldn't move very far. I was already dragging you and Kiranti."

"And I do not begrudge you that decision, Koga. You made the correct choice, in my mind. And I believe you would have been proud of M'kass. He did very well to make them earn the right to kill him. If not for the sandstorm, you could see for yourself the stand he made."

The human woman stared. "Always was a stubborn bastard, that one."

"Since then, I have been living here, dealing with the occasional curious Imperial, looking into the deaths of their comrades. It has been some time since I saw a stormtrooper, but if that droid is any indication, they maintain their interest. And now, with your arrival..."

"So dig in, fight, and then run at the first lull?" asked the blonde male.

"As good a plan as any, my friend. Yourself and Parodan will have much work cut out for you."

The tall redhead tilted his head. "You know my name."

"Of course I do, Parodan. I have a special place in my heart for the children the Order failed."
Kanten Kania (Wiley Old Man)
Darrando Rivet (Has Rancor, Will Travel)
Koga Veki (Showtime)
Bean
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 11:14 pm

Re: Blood and Dust

Post by Bean »

Ord Padron, the wreckage of the AIAT Sabel

The statement hung in the air for a moment, before the Cerean stood and began re-wrapping his face, the battered rebreather mask over his mouth. "Shall we go and meet them, then? Miss Koga, I do believe you left a larger weapon somewhere aboard."

The woman nodded, still silent, and moved towards the back of the ship.

"If the pattern holds, my friends, our attackers will be primarily mechanical. Some sort of combat droid, armed with a phrik blade and a shield. Simple enough to defeat, but they tend to appear en masse. It is important to move quickly and decisively, and as these are droids, we need not show any qualms about destroying them."

Koga reappeared, moving back towards the cockpit and tearing the blankets out of the window, before climbing onto the side of the ship. THe rest of the group moved outside, and took up various points around the ship, Eti staying near the hatchway, Darrando and Renell near her. Parodan insisted on being in the first line, alongside Shagan-Ri. The animals, still slightly confused, joined their sentient companions. Nasha climbed up the side of the ship, perching near Koga. Carova and Junior hid in the wreckage of the wing structure. Rioux trotted back and forth between the various beings.

A few long minutes later, figures began emerging from the clouds of dust. Easily over two meters tall, the figures had the appearance of an angular skeleton, and sprinted towards the beings. Shagan-Ri fought them with a brutal efficiency, wielding the blunt weapon in one hand and the blade in the other, using the mace to strike the shield away and the sword to rip into the droids. Parodan shared the methodology, hitting the droids once or twice each with a golden blade before they collapsed into the sand. Koga, from her perch on the side of the ship, fired short bursts from the long repeating blaster, mounted on it's bipod. Occasionally she would pause, taking out a weapon like a simple tube with a stock on it, and firing into the storm in the direction the droids were moving from with a thump, and another thump as the rounds impacted unseen.

Darrando and Renell focused on droids that made it past the front, Rando firing at the droids with his heavy pistol as Renell caught and blocked attackers with his blue blade. Eti kneeled in the hatchway, humming gently into the commlink. Occasionally, Koga would relay some information, and loud music could be heard in the background. Nasha dropped from the top of the ship onto one droid who strayed too close to her Eti, ripping it's head off in her teeth, before slinking back around to climb up. Carova and Junior prowled into the sand, taking individual droids apart with teeth and claw, before slinking back out of sight to pounce again.

The group fought for what felt to them like a long while, each performing a familiar set of movements over and over. The droids were very simple, relying on numbers over any combat skill, and against the combined knowledge of the group, did not accomplish much. Occasionally, one of the defenders would call upon unseen power, crushing or throwing or pulling a droid. The battle quickly became a routine for them.

The droids stopped coming after a while. Parodan caught one's mounted blade in a lock, and the Cerean struck it from the back with the mace-like weapon, crushing it into the sand. He looked around for a moment. "We should move. You have your transport, yes?"

Darrando nodded, holstering his weapon, and Koga climbed back in through the cockpit, after tossing the long blaster into the sand near by. "A juggernaught. Safer in the storm than anything flying."

"Never did like those things, but it will do."

As the moved around the wreckage of the ship, Eti caught Rando's arm again. "But what about the ship?"

Rando paused, looking over the crashed vessel. "Eti, I don't think she's mine anymore. Let the ghosts have her."

The Nautolan looked into his eyes for a moment, and then climbed back into the Sabel. She went through the rooms, and began handing the bundled remains of the former crew out through the hatchway, and the remains were moved into the wheeled transport. Shagan-Ri removed most of the trinkets and tools on his bandolier, including the long weapons. He took the wind chime down, and tucked it into his robes. For his part, Rando grabbed a footlocker like box from one of the cargo areas. Soon, the party loaded into the wheeled vehicle, which set off again into the storms.

Rando sat near the corner seat, Eti leaned into his chest from one side, Koga from the other. Par and Run laid themselves out on the floor, and Shagan-Ri sat on his own, eyes closed as the vehicle rocked gently over the dunes.
Kanten Kania (Wiley Old Man)
Darrando Rivet (Has Rancor, Will Travel)
Koga Veki (Showtime)
Bean
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 11:14 pm

Re: Blood and Dust

Post by Bean »

A note and a datadisk, titled "A Warrior to Challenge the Sun in the Sky"

Heya, Eti.

So I wanted to give you something for Life Day, but seeing as I don't know much about you, I wasn't sure which way to go. so I focused on the one thing we have in common. You know a little bit more about my people, now. In our own, nearly dead, language, we have a few names. The People of the Shattered Mountains. The Red Hearts. And the Warriors of the Moon.

We have a few myths left, most of them died with our home. But the bombardment created a new story, and my great-whatever-grandmother was the one that 'saw' the prophecy, in the middle of a spirit walk. For reference, the sun came to represent the heat and sand, and ghosts were something like demons.

"The Sun, oppressive in the sky. The land itself burning. Ghost warriors, roaming.

On the horizon, one appears. Unafraid of the ghosts, they are banished. The rains follow. And he will be a warrior, to challenge the sun in the sky."

I put this together from old recordings. Some is him, some is me, some is old friends. Maybe it'll help you understand him a bit better.

-Koga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG4x5q9 ... c2c_1i8CDV
Kanten Kania (Wiley Old Man)
Darrando Rivet (Has Rancor, Will Travel)
Koga Veki (Showtime)
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