First Reply Eldrich Elder

[Darth Prizrak]

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LOCATION: Iego

Iego was a world with a long history of being a place not to go... it was surrounded by a thousand moons, which were a warning to those approaching not to descend... and as was the behavior of most.. they did not heed the warning...

A ship of smugglers descended on the planet, seeking it as hub to check their goods and prepare for next journey to Nal Hutta. One of the Smugglers, a Devaronian said aloud,
"It is hotter than hell out here!"
Another Smuggler nodded,
"It is why we chose to check the merchandise here.. as the Boss says, most people are not stupid enough to land here."
The Devaronian replied,
"Except us.."
The Frieghter Class vessel had its ramp down, and the fog of humidity began to obscure everything around them. The Besaltic Spires rose above them as teeth, unaware that they were in the very jaws of death. There was a sound, and the Devaronian drew his heavy blaster and said,
"What was that?"
The Other Smuggler said,
"You are too jumpy Dags.. come on, this world no longer has ghosts. There were dealt with long ago."
The two turned away, as the Boss came down with two more crew members,
"The cargo is in good condition, though i admit this climate puts it in.. well a mood."
There was a howl inside.
"Hey Boss, do you believe what they say about this place? Is it true once you land on it you can never leave?"
The Boss shook his head,
"That was a long time ago.. the stuff of sobering bed time stories. This place is forsaken.. though I think we should have put down in the desert area just in case."

There was the sound of foot steps, and the Devaronian turned and said,
"There it is again! Boss! There is something in this dank humid fog!"
The boss took a look with some Macrobinoculars, scanning about with a triple magnification, the scope with a circle and dots showing nothing.
"It's nothing.. quiet your nevers Dags."
Suddenly there was boom and another ship began to land on one of circlular landing pads that were all over below the Basaltic towers. The Boss reaching for his blaster pistol at his side said,
"Shik, seems someone else has found this hiding spot.."
The Ramp of the other vessel dropped and coming out was a ground of people in matching Echani armor, one of them a Trandoshan. The two Smuggler groups met between their ships, The Boss spoke to theirs,
"Greetings.. we are just here to check our cargo and then we are pressing on."
The Other Boss nodded with his chrome helm, and one white foggy eye,
"I understand, we are doing the same. Perhaps we could share a drink captain to captain?"
The Boss looking at his men said,
"Well.. its not like me to reject an offer of drink, but we really should get going.."

Standing above on one of the towers of salt, was a figure in all black, who's face was painted in a mask of sodium white, the shape of a skull. The fog of humidity withdrew as this figure stood above them, and the Devaronian looking up caught sight of it, and raised his heavy blaster, shouting,
"Boss! Boss! Up there! What in the h*ll is that?!"
The Boss turning to his Muscle said,
"Dags.. did you consume a bad batch of spice or something.."
Dags shouted,
"Just look boss!"
The Boss took his binoculars and looking up saw the top of the tower, and then lowering them made a face,
"There is nothing there.. go back inside the ship and stay there.." Turning to the Other Cap he said,
"This world seems to be playing tricks on my crew's minds." The Other Captain nodded,
"Yeah.. Iego is a cursed place they say.. its why we can as you did."
There was another boom and another frieghter vessel landed, and coming out of its ramp was Q'urran with a bunch of Mal Calamari.
"Oh great is Krokto, he is.. well you can see he is a squid.. whatever you do, don't stare at his tentacle."
The Boss sighed, this planet was getting crowded, The Trando with its great Vibroaxe looked and saw in the steam cape of great black flowing, and the mask of death looking at him, it made a bunch of noises pointing, and The Other Captain turned and said,
"Reptus, what is it?"
The Trando in its tongue began to relate what it had seen and the Other Captain sighed,
"Whatever is disturbing your crew seems to be catching.. maybe we better get off this planet before everyone goes mad.."

The Qu'rran approached and made a noise as he said,
"David.. so we meet again," he was adressing the Other Captain. K
"Hey Krokto, small galaxy huh.."
The Squid Head said,
"You still owe me money from that game of Sabaac."
David nodded,
"I know.. I know.. I can give you an installment. How does fifteen thousand sound?"
Kroto spat on the ground,
"Like you think I believe you will make good on further installments.. no my dear David, I intend to get every penny.. here! Now!"
David sighed,
"Look.. I get it, I want to settle my debts too, but I haven't got the money."
The Qu'rann turning, one of his tentacles was metal and moved mechanically. He saw the Boss who was content to step away and talk to his crew. Kroto pointing at The Boss said, "Who is that?"
David replied,
"That is Roland Thrush.. the Roland Thrush."
The Qu'rran turned with its tentacles contracting and moving about as if mandibles,
"The Thrush who made the Armadian Escape? That Thrush?"
David repsonded,
"The very one.."
Roland began to approach and said,
"We all good here? We need to get going."
David nodded,
"Krokto this is Roland, Roland Krokto."
The Qu'rran eyed him as he drew closer,
"So you are the one who escaped The Aramada in less than 6 parsecs.. I doubt you did it, that is impossible."
Roland shook his head,
"I do not expect anyone to believe it.. and it was 5 parsecs."
As he turned to walk away, the Squid Head said,
"Wait.. no one is leaving. You see your friend.. owes me a great deal of money, and since you are friends.. I want you witness me collecting.."
The Boss let out a sigh,
"Friends is a strong word.. we are aqaiuintances."
David spoke up,
"Do not leave me to the mercy of this Qu'rran Roland.. please.."
Roland shook his head,
"See this is why I do not make friends.. it always ends with me either cracking skulls or having to pay someone elses debts, and frankly I am tired and dead broke."
Krokto chuckled,
"If you cannot pay David, I will take it from your flesh.."

Inside the Freighter, The Devaronian looking out the window franctically, when one of the crew members came up and said,
"Dude you need to chill.. there is nothing out save some other pirates and smugglers like us.."
As The Devaronian looked, suddenly he saw approaching in the mist the figure in black, it looking at him with those hollowed out black eyes, and the skull, he felt himself pulled up against the glass as he cried out,
"Help! Help.. arghhhhhhhhh!"

 

[Zinayn]

The small shuttle exited hyperspace, and the world of Iego appeared before him. Zinayn had tracked down a group of pirates and smugglers that had made off with a bunch of Lilaste gear and cargo from M'haeli. How they did that, he didn't know. The order's forces usually were alert and ready, but he supposed all the downtime got to them, and the chance they finally had to open fire with the weapons on their defense stations did not pay off. So here he was, coming to track down and bring back the Order's cargo.

He had to admit though, it was pretty odd that they decided to come to Iego. Zinayn expected them to make haste towards Nar Shadaa or some other hive of scum and villainy. Iego would make some sense, as who would expect pirates to hang out on this haunted world? Or so the stories said.

Zinayn set his shuttle down on one of the spire landing pads. Reassuring himself that haunted activity on this planet was just a myth, the Chiss headed out. Making his way down the salt was less difficult than he thought it would be. He had a good view of whatever pirate trade was going on down there. But something was off. There was a dark presence that he felt as he descended into the mist. Zinayn wasn't one to ignore his senses or chalk it up to worry about those legends about Iego. This presence was more...tangible than it would be if just the stories were affecting him.

The Gray Jedi unclipped his lightsaber and tightened his grip on it. If there really were ghosts here though, he doubted it would do anything.

Darth Prizrak

 

[Darth Prizrak]

The Three Smugglar Ships were as triangle on this unholy world, most of them were busy re-arranging cargo, while Roland, David, and Krokto tlaked over things. None of them save the Devaronian and the Trandoshan had noticed the Phantom in the wet mist. The Dev was collapsed at the window, when one of crew members came in and said,
"Diab.. come on, we need to move one of the larger crates. Diab.. come on!"
Walking over the Horned Red Skinned One, his face on the floor. He turning him over saw what looked like claw marks all over his face, fissures and his eyes were sunken in, no pulse.
"What in the hell?! Captain! Captain!"
He ran to the ramp and down it, coming to Roland who was crossing his arms.
"David.. I told you not to take out loans.. you have to.."
"Captain! Captain!"
Roland turning said,
"What? What Ethan?"
The Young Man began to pant, the fright had taken his breath,
"Its Diab.."
Roland sighed,
"Did he see another spectra?"
Ethan shook his head,
"No.. he's dead!"
Roland immediately heading up the ramp, Krokto turning to Davd,
"Ghosts.. hmpf.. now back your payment.. I expected three installments upfront or no deal."
David sighed,
"I do not have that kind of money.."
The Trand's long tongue snapped out as he said with his jaws of sharp teeth,
"Yes you do.."
David became pale as a sheet,
"No.. not that.. that cargo is bound for Nar Hutta!"
Krokto hissed,
"Yep, and I am going to deliver it and collect the pay day.. unless you would rather.. me take the payments from your flesh?"
He held out his bone gudgel and snarled.

Inside Roland found The Devaronian and examined him, already he had begun to stink. Ethan stood covering his nose and said,
"He kept talking about a ghost,, do you think?"
Roland shook his head as he took a tarp and covered the body,
"No.. no ghost did this. This is something else.. we need to put the crew on alert."
Ethan suddenly looked as if he too had become pale,
"You don't think one of the crew did this?"
Roland standing up looked at the Rookie Smuggler and said,
"I do not know.. in our line of work some would kill another to make the split smaller, and pay out bigger for them. But they would have resorted to blasting him or cutting his throat. There are no marks of struggle, his face looks drained as if something as removed all the salt from it.. which is odd."
Ethan spouted,
"Could it be a contagion or a chemical?"
Roland rubbed his clean shaven chin,
"Possibly.. though for it to act this quickly is unlikely. I like that you are thinking on your feet Kid, you are a lot smarter than some of hired guns I usually run with. Never stop asking questions. But we need to keep a lid on this till we can find out who did this or what. I do not want a panic, and with three ships here, it could turn into an accusation fest."
The Young Man nodded,
"Yes Cap, that makes sense."
Roland then as he headed to ramp said,
"See if you can get anything from security footage, the cameras are old and probably damaged, but maybe it will catch something."
Ethan gave a nod,
"Aye aye Captain."

Roland returned back to Krokto and a very sullen David.
"I need to discuss something with you two. It cannot be shared blow us Captains."
Krokto hissed, and David gave a nod.
"One of my crew has been killed.. in a most unusual way, as if something drained his entire body of salt. I am not making any accusations, just asking if you two can help me do some digging, maybe someone saw something board the ship or something in cargo if exposed to is dangerious. I have already advised my First Mate to keep quiet, this stays just between us."
Krokto licked his lips,
"Strange way to die.."
David took a deep breath,
"I will ask my crew, some of them may have seen something, but I am starting to think this planet really is cursed."
Krokto chuckled because he knew that had more to do with having to give up his cargo than this news of a dead crew mate.

Meanwhile, in the mists something stirred, a Shadow, which had its hollow eyes on them and then turned as it seemed to detect a presence, it suddenly disappeared with the mist. The Phantom drew itself upon one of the towers of rock and saw walking in mantels a figure that carried itself with purpose of those noble ones, those keepers of the peace. There overlooking the Jedi, its long black cape blew in the wind and humid wet, the fog concealing it from the new arrival...

TAG: Zinayn