Private Monsters of Lao-mon

[Inanna Harth]

It was approaching midday on Lao-mon. The Vonnuvi's base of operations, located in the jungle near the ruined capital city of Goshen, was by now a well-established fort. For the past few weeks they had worked to restore civilization on the Shi’ido homeworld, providing a steady supply of food and other resources to the returning refugees and rebuilding communities that had been destroyed by the Maw.

It was slow and often difficult work; every area of land had to be carefully tested for toxins before it could be settled again, and the process of reintroducing the native wildlife was fraught with its own dangers due to the high volume of predatory species. For Inanna and all those who had waited years for this moment, the work was inherently satisfying. She hoped the others felt the same, knowing they were healing an entire planet.

But despite how fulfilling the experience was, it was also all-consuming. She spent her days planting seeds and saplings, building shelters, gathering samples, tending to animals and overseeing various projects. By the time she finished all her daily duties, she was too exhausted to do anything other than go straight to bed—and when she rose the next morning, there was more work to be done. She missed her children, who were staying with their grandma on the herdship, but she had also hoped this would be a nice little break for her and Cato. Yet even though the two of them shared quarters at the base, one always seemed to be asleep by the time the other got home. Hardly conducive to spending time together.

Then, reports of a possible security breach in the hangar reached her. Two people were reported missing. Cato was supposed to be working there today, and he wasn’t answering her calls. The feelings of isolation and loneliness that she had been pushing down were suddenly replaced by overwhelming worry for his safety. Though she was scheduled to lead an expedition into the wilderness, she canceled on short notice, pretending she had been assigned to the investigation.

She raced to the hangar bay, arriving to find it swarming with both Shi’ido and Vonnuvi personnel. It seemed she wasn’t the only curious onlooker. Picking her way through the crowd, she reached the edge of the throng and was immediately hit by a strong odor of decay. A small section of one of the landing pads had already been blocked off, the duracrete glistening with a strange jelly-like substance. It was streaked with red—and smelled unmistakably of blood.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

The mission to Lao-mon had been a long and arduous one. More so than most ventures the Vonnuvi participated in. The planet had suffered heavily under direct occupation by the Maw, and it didn't help that it was in and of itself, rater hostile to non Shi'ido. Nonetheless, relief efforts persevered. After the recovery of pilfered artifacts from a Maw holdout, things more or less slowed down. Work was constant, if unexciting. Until today.

Inanna would feel a hand against her shoulder, as Cato slipped through the crowd from behind to reach her, "Hey," He said, unaware of her concern, "What are you doing here?" He had been busy dealing with the situation at hand, and couldn't find time to answer back. He didn't even know she had been calling.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Tense and worried as she was, Inanna jumped a little at the sudden hand on her shoulder. She whirled around and came face to face… with Cato.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

“I—I heard some people went missing. I called you, but you didn’t answer. Nobody would tell me what happened. I thought…” Her wide eyes swept over his body like she was making sure it was really him, before she threw her arms around him. “Ohhh… I was hoping I would get to see you one of these days,” she crooned, a relieved smile curving her lips. “I just didn’t think it would be like this.”

“All right, everybody back up!” As ordered, the crowd quickly shifted away from the crime scene. The man who had issued the command stepped into view, dressed in a workman’s jumpsuit with an insignia denoting he was from the Jedi Service Corps. He was accompanied by an Ithorian elder from the Vonnuvi and a Shi’ido from the Arborian clan, judging by the fact that she looked like a walking tree with eyes. Inanna could tell it was a female Arborian because the tree was pregnant, a visible swell warping the rough bark around the middle of her “trunk”.

“It looks like we’ve got a dangerous wild animal on the loose,” the man addressed the crowd while his two companions each translated his words into their own languages. “Something called an urartu. We’re issuing a general order to all personnel to evacuate the base until it can be taken care of.”

Inanna blinked. His pronunciation was off, but she knew what he was talking about. Urartu were gluttonous, stupid vermin that would wander into populated areas during the hot summer months, looking for food and mates. While they posed a threat to unattended children and pets, the average Shi’ido didn’t take them seriously. Several natives in the crowd began protesting the evac, unwilling to halt the restoration of their homeworld because of a common pest.

“This is only temporary,” the man assured them. “May I remind you all that two people are missing and presumed dead here? This is a creature that rapidly devours every living thing it encounters. This base is filled with people, many of whom aren’t all that familiar with the local wildlife.”

“How about instead of an evacuation, you educate your people better about the planet they’re on!” someone shouted back, followed by murmurs of agreement. Tempers were rising.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"Sorry, sorry. I'm good. Just dealing with th-" Inanna just hugged him, so Cato hugged her back, "We've got some lost time to make up for." He spared her a slight smirk, but it fell quickly. They still had a bit of a situation to deal with. One of the Service Corps Jedi debrief the crowd on the situation, explaining that a local creature had gotten the best of some of the volunteers. It was a frustrating situation. The locals hardly considered the creature worthy of concern these days, given proper vigilance and care. But it was clearly still a danger. Both sides were getting a bit up in arms.

"Hey!" Cato spoke up, his voice cutting through the din, "Knock it off. They're right, if we're gonna help out here, we need to make certain our people know what they're up against. This is something we should've planned for. Now people are gone because of it." He looked at the Vonnuvi reps, then turned to the Shi'ido, "In the meantime, maybe show a little condolence for the two volunteers who presumably just got melted to death so you could have your planet back." The Vonnuvi didn't have to be here. But they chose to because they wanted to help. "Fact of the matter is, it's too late to change our approach now. If our folks aren't properly trained to address the urartu, they need to be out of here before more people get hurt. Just until we take care of the creature and get them properly debriefed."

"Lao-mon isn't going anywhere. If we all do our part, this won't be any more than a hiccup in the schedule."

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato’s speech calling for a compromise had more of an effect on the Vonnuvi personnel than the Shi’ido. It was perhaps to be expected—the Shi’ido were far more emotionally invested in the restoration efforts and would resist any attempt at slowing or stopping their progress.

But they couldn’t stop people from leaving, and many from the Vonnuvi seemed disinclined to stay and risk being melted to death, as Cato put it. Now the crowd began asking about the evac: “Is it safe to return to our quarters and retrieve our belongings?”

“Uh…” The Service Corps representative glanced toward the Shi’ido, but they offered no response.

Inanna spoke up. “Leave your belongings and head straight to the shuttles. The urartu won’t be interested in your things, but it is interested in living creatures.”

“The sick and injured in the infirmary will be evacuated first,” he added, giving her a slight nod. “Then everyone else. Please remain calm, stay in groups, and await further orders.”

As the crowd began to disperse, Inanna turned to Cato and asked, “Do you want to stay or leave?” She didn't want him to go, of course. But if they both stayed it would be to work, not screw around. Well, unless they could somehow manage to squeeze it in between helping with the evac and dealing with the slime monster...

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

The Shi'ido were unhappy, and didn't seem keen on offering much else in terms of help. Inanna eventually spoke up and got the Vonnuvi workers moving, until it was just her and Cato still hanging around. "Stay," He quickly responded, "Gotta get this all worked out. Make sure our people are safe, and your people can get back to fixing your home." It had been a while since they'd really gotten to interact properly, Cato realized. Sure they might have spared some passing glances, and they still slept in the same bed, but day to day there was hardly a chance to just talk between the two of them. Worse still, they hadn't had much time with the kids either. As if to quickly make up for lost time, Cato placed his hands on Inanna's shoulders, and gave her a long kiss, "Don't worry about me."

He turned back around, "So, this Urartu. What's the deal?" Like most of his knowledge of lao-man, Cato had absorbed some understanding of the creature through cultural osmosis, thanks to living in a Shi'ido settlement for a time, and being married to a Shi'ido woman. But he wasn't exactly an expert on the thing. It was a nasty blob that ate through organics with ease. But they were stupid, and most of the locals hardly considered them a trouble. "How should we start looking for this thing?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato’s response was quick. She breathed a little sigh of relief. Of course, she never doubted that he would take the heroic route, but it was always nice to be assured.

It was also very nice to be kissed by him. Not a quick peck before they each went off to work, but a proper smooch. Inanna made a muffled noise against him, mouth parting as a shiver ran through her. She held him tight, not wanting it to end.

"So, this Urartu. What's the deal?"

“Depends on what you mean by that.” Still breathless, Inanna tried to pull herself together as they left the hangar, conscious of the eyes upon them. Not that anyone really had time to gawk—they had things to do and places to be. “If you’re asking how to kill it, fire, salt, and ice are all good options. One time when I was a kid, we found a small one in our yard. We went and got salt from the kitchen and dumped it on it until it shriveled up and died.”

"How should we start looking for this thing?"

“That’s more complicated.” She sighed. “It’s a blob, so it can squeeze into tight nooks and crannies. This base has plenty of places where it could hide. But it’s going to constantly be looking for food, sensing body heat. They’re not stupid enough to go after a crowd, but a couple of unsuspecting people by themselves…” Which seemed to have been the fate of the two volunteers. “We could set up bait after the evacuation, draw it to a particular place and then get rid of it.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"Salt?" Cato smirked. It made sense he supposed, given the creature's biology. But it wasn't often you heard of a creature casually disposed by common household goods, "Doesn't sound too bad." Slow, stupid, and easily killed. It relied on the ignorance of its pray more than anything else. No wonder the Shi'ido weren't all that concerned. Unfortunately, the price of that lack of insight was steep.

"Got any fire, salt, or ice on you?" Cato asked, pondering Inanna's plan. "In that case all we need is an isolated place to sneak off to, and a way to generate body heat enough to grab their attention..." There was one particular answer that immediately came to mind. Yes, that would theoretically work. Cato didn't say it out loud, lest he fully acknowledge the parody their lives often seemed to be. But he gave Inanna an almost knowing look.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Got any fire, salt, or ice on you?"

She shrugged. “Probably not a good idea to set any fires inside the base. Salt is easy enough to get, I suppose, but the larger the creature the more salt it would take to kill it. This one has already eaten two full-grown people, so it isn’t going to be the size of the little baby urartu in our yard. As for ice… Does the Vonnuvi keep any cryo weapons in stock?” If not, they might be found among the Shi’ido.

"In that case all we need is an isolated place to sneak off to, and a way to generate body heat enough to grab their attention..."

Inanna’s mind unfortunately went straight into the gutter as well. She was a lot less subtle about it, though. “You know, there’s a stereotype about the people who get eaten by these things. That it’s usually couples having sex in risky locations that get caught unawares.”

Sometimes when she was working, her mind would wander, fantasizing about going to his sector and surprising him whenever she had the time (there was never enough time). Just little fragmented visions of his hands leaving oil smudges on her hips, imagining what the scent and taste of him would be like after spending all day surrounded by industrial equipment…

She glanced toward him, saw the expression on his face, blushed and looked away. Force, it had been too long since they were together. “We, uh, should focus on the evacuation for now,” she said, clearing her throat. “Then work out a plan to trap the creature.” The infirmary was just ahead, the chaos palpable even from a distance as people scrambled to get their loved ones to safety.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato rubbed his chin, "Not sure. Sounds like something they'd use, though." It was worth a look, either with the Vonnuvi or with the Shi'ido, "It's either that or we find a truckload of salt quick."

Unsurprising to Cato, Inanna was thinking the same exact thing. They both seemed to default to that state of mind far quicker than your average fellow, "Oh trust me. I've seen plenty of horror flicks. Which is why we'd be the ones to survive something that stupid." Was he advocating for it? Maybe. That would be perhaps the most two-birds-with-one-stone solution, as uncouth as it was. He'd hope just one of these days the two of them could return home, and he could sweep Inanna up in his arms and take her to bed. So far, they had no such luck.

“We, uh, should focus on the evacuation for now,”

Cato's smirk widened. It felt good to know he could still get her blushing like a schoolgirl after all this time. "Let's." He said, contenting himself with helping the others for now. "I'll get folks packing." He walked ahead and immediately helped a retreating Ithorian with their supplies.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Oh trust me. I've seen plenty of horror flicks. Which is why we'd be the ones to survive something that stupid."

“We… we’d survive?” Inanna blinked incredulously. Given their inability to keep their hands off each other in all but the most dire of circumstances, she would think they’d be the first to get killed off in a horror movie.

Cato’s smirk burned into her memory, she busied herself with helping those in need, pushing aside heavy medical equipment to create a wider pathway for all the foot traffic. Medical droids hovered around sickbeds where patients of various species and varied ages lay. A sickly Ithorian, a Human with a broken leg, a woman in labor—all were hurriedly pushed out of the infirmary, trailed after by concerned relatives and armed escorts. Inanna wondered if the guards were properly equipped to face the urartu, or if their presence was just to keep people calm.

As she watched them go, a voice suddenly spoke in Shi-idese near her ear, “Hello, Inanna bosch Hoole.”

Startled, she turned to face a male Shi’ido in a version of the base’s medical uniform which pushed the barriers of what was permitted as far as they could possibly go. “Er, hello,” she said. It took her a moment to recall his name: Dr. Tammuz Gog. “Dr. Gog. Can I help you with something?”

“Oh, no.” His casual, conversational tone was out of place amid the hectic atmosphere around them. “I was just wondering if you’d had a chance to consider my offer.”

Her brow furrowed. She did remember his offer. Dr. Gog had apparently reviewed her medical files per a “repopulation initiative” and tracked her down in order to pitch an experimental new fertility treatment. She’d been skeptical and turned off by the manner in which he’d gone about finding her, but she’d be lying if she claimed her interest wasn’t tentatively piqued.

Of course, she hadn’t had the chance to talk to Cato about it. Hell, she wasn’t even sure if she should. But now definitely wasn’t the time to discuss the matter. “Er, no. Sorry, I’ve not had the time.” Why was he bringing it up now?

“Very well.” He looked around, then asked, “You wouldn’t happen to have seen this urartu, would you?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering.” He steepled his fingers. “Hopefully it will be found as soon as possible. Before anyone else gets hurt.”

Something seemed off. But before she could question him further, another hoverbed floated past, separating the two. Dr. Gog took the opportunity to slip away.

Am I crazy for thinking that was suspicious? she pondered as the last of the hoverbeds was pushed through the doors. The bizarre exchange was worth filing away, at least. In case it became relevant later. For now, she had to find Cato and figure out what to do next...

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"Yes. Because we have meta-knowledge that all those characters never had." Cato raised a finger as if to accentuate his point, "Also, our monster is a lot dumber than most of those in the holos." That theory aside, they had work to do. The two of them split off to help hurry the evacuation. Cato was essentially lending himself out as a pack mule, carrying loads of supplies in hand, and surrounded by a telekinetic cloud of even more.

Once the area had more or less been evacuated, Cato headed straight back, spotting Inanna and a man who had just turned away from her to seemingly leave with the rest. He was upon her just a moment, "Sup," He said, glancing one more time in the direction the man had gone. He didn't make much of it regardless; Not like her talking to someone was a particularly odd, especially in these circumstances, "That everyone?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Though she was still determined to fix the problem at hand, Inanna’s thoughts were a bit more muddled now than she would have liked. She turned to face Cato, and couldn’t help but wonder.

“Everyone in here, at least.” She gestured to the now empty infirmary, then hesitated. “Cato... I realize this is a very strange thing to ask right now, and it’s purely hypothetical anyway… But if my fertility could be somehow restored and I regained the ability to have babies, how would you feel about it? Would you want to have another child?”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato nodded, and opened his mouth to continue talking business. But Innana hit him with an out-of-nowhere and suspiciously specific question. He raised an eyebrow highly, "Your… fertility?" Was that a possibility? If she was asking him, then there was a chance right? He seemed to contemplate the question for a few moments. He hadn't exactly been planning to become a parent when Serena showed up. He hadn't exactly been comfortable with the idea of adopting a second child after thet, but here they were with Ashur. Now Inanna was talking about a third. Not just that, but one that came from the both of them. Cato's love for his kids wasn't beholden to that concept by any means, but even he could see the appeal of the shared flesh and blood.

Still, despite his love for being a dad, he approached such a major decision with similar hesitancy as last time, "…I don't know. It's a big deal. You getting that back." He suited her expression closely, "…Would you want another?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato’s incredulous expression mirrored her own doubts. “A doctor here claimed there was an experimental new treatment, but I’m not sure if it would work for me. Seems too good to be true.” She’d been through this song-and-dance before. Someone came promising a cure for her suffering, neglecting to mention the consequences. She’d fallen for it once; she told herself she wouldn’t again.

But she couldn’t write it off completely. She’d always held out hope that things would change. Serena and Ashur were enough, but… It was hard not to get caught up in the romance of it all, she supposed. The idea of a child that would be part of her and part of him, living on long after both of them were gone. As if their love, or at least the fruits of it, could go on forever—and become part of the legacy of a species brought back from the brink of extinction.

"…I don't know. It's a big deal. You getting that back… Would you want another?"

“It would be… nice,” she said softly. Though her words were vague, her tone betrayed the longing she had felt since her inability to conceive first became apparent. She could be content with the way things were now, but like any dream that gets put away in a drawer labeled ‘unlikely’ in the back of one’s mind, she would never stop wanting it to come true. “If it’s possible, and not too risky—”

A sudden chill fell over them both. Something was wrong, Inanna could sense it. Moments later, an alarm klaxon blared.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato nodded in understanding. False promises of restored fertility were probably a dime a dozen. It was an easy influence on someone in such a vulnerable position. Inanna had no doubt dealt with it before, and been met with disappointment. Skepticism was the natural response. But as he could tell, it was tinged with hope. The what if was too great to just cast aside.

“If it’s possible, and not too risky—”

The moment was interrupted by klaxons. Cato looked around a hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his weapon, "What's that for?" Had the little sludge tripped an alarm, or had something else?

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"What's that for?"

“Uh.” Inanna made a face, then shrugged before running out of the infirmary to see what was going on. Others were racing down the hall past her. She headed in the direction most of them seemed to be running from, not sure what to expect.

Upon turning a corner, she was met with a chaotic scene. A skewed hoverbed had created an impassable obstacle, blocking the way through the corridor. A few people were fighting to keep the bed-bound Ithorian patient from being pulled up into an overhead vent, where slimy tendrils reached down to try and seize its prey.

Inanna grabbed her lightsaber hilt and activated the blade—only to realize it was on the whip setting. Rather than waste time switching the dial, she lashed at the urartu’s tendrils with the whip, each strike precisely aimed. The creature released the Ithorian, only to lunge out with twice as many limbs. One wrapped around Inanna’s wrist and yanked.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

They ran to go find the cause of the alarm. It didn't take long to figure out, as they eventually saw a bedridden patient in the process of being lifted up by the urartu through a vent. It had tried to grab an easy snack, but a few others were helping keep the Ithorian from getting taken.

Inanna acted first, striking with her whip and causing the goop to drop its initial target. It instead focused on her, wrapping a pseudopod around her arm, "Hey! Hands off!" Cato responded quickly, ignited his own saber and attempting to slash at the tendril. With the other hand, he grabbed Inanna, trying to pull her away.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna felt a burning sensation where the urartu touched her. A sickly stench filled the air as Cato’s lightsaber cut through the pseudopod. She wasn’t sure if the smell was coming from the creature or her own melting flesh.

She was quick to fling off the severed limb still clinging to her. Her wrist was ringed by a painful welt where the creature had begun to digest her, but it didn’t get far enough to break the skin. She’d have to worry about it later.

Looking up again, she saw a faint wriggle of movement as the urartu retracted its tendrils, rapidly disappearing from view. That was new—she’d never seen one retreat from a threat before. Usually they were mindless slaves to hunger, always fighting to the death for a meal.

“Chit,” she cursed. “Get him out of here!” She ordered the others. As they pushed the Ithorian down the hall, she turned to Cato. “Can you sense where it is?” Following a gelatinous flesh-eating creature into the cramped vents would be ill-advised, but they couldn't just let it get away.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato successfully chopped through the creature's limb, but given its nature all that did was free Inanna. The Urartu slinked back into the vent, making a getaway. Even with Cato's limited understanding of the beast, that seemed odd. By all accounts, it ought to be so stupidly single-minded as to continue trying until it was sated or dead.

The patient was at least rescued, and pushed away by his attendants. At Inanna's request, Cato tried to lock onto its presence. "I… think so," It was a simple form, not well-versed in disguising it's aura. Easy to track, "I've got an idea," He took off down the hall, following the path the urartu made through the vents. Once he was sure he'd caught up, he ignited his saber and thrust it up into the ceiling, where the creature ought to be.

Inanna Harth​