Eol Sha: Dragonheart (Lords of the Fringe)

[Sargon Vynea]

He did have a second thought though if the first didn't work, they could build a replica of a rather ancient war machine. Pulling up a datapad Sargon drew up schematics for an old ballista. "Rave, come here a second?" Showing her the schematic Sargon looked again back towards rivers of lava. "What if we applied a chain to a large bolt? Stuck it through the head and dragged it out before we lost the chain?"

@[member="Rave Merrill"]

 

[Velok the Younger]

"Hey look," said Rave in a sudden silence, "we have about five viable plans. Capture, swim, cryo, all the rest. Let's split off and try them, and see what happens. Deal? Deal.

"Sargon, this bolt plan...I like this. Let's give it a shot. I can use alchemy to fuse the bolt to the critter, too. Maybe. If I can get close enough." She peered over the edge. "Looks like there's more than a few good stepping stones, assuming we can pull this off with lava flying everywhere once the beastie gets fractious."

 

[Garza]

At Raves thoughts of splitting up and putting our ideas to action I smiled. This meant that I could just go alone on this. @[member="Sargon Vynea"] Had a good idea to where I could just simply pick up scales at the bottom of the ocean of lava. However, that would mean they were dead scales. And if I could search for them, then great. Only thing is, they were rare and hard to find. You'd think that a beast that large would be easy to find, but truthfully its easier said than done. I would have to find one and just simply kill it.

I looked to my gear and began to take it off when I realized that the daggers I had could hold poison in them. I then walked over to @[member="Rave Merrill"] as she talked with the Zabrak. "I could hear you talking about the cable and what not, That would be a great idea and we could possibly use poison to kill it. It would harm only the scales that were around the pierced skin as those would be damaged, but that so very small amount of ruined ones would out weigh the perfect ones."

 

[Sargon Vynea]

With a click of his tongue Sargon nodded as he thought the plan over. "We're going to need some materials, @[member="Rave Merrill"] you have any on the ship, or do we need to go make a trip to market? If we make ourselves a ballista, use alchemy poison on it, and then pull it in should take care of everything in theory. @[member="Morna Imura"], I do think @[member="Dharma Vessia"] had some rather interesting ideas thought no one took serious enough. Could you swim in and capture a baby worm, or an egg? If we breed them and collect scales they shed after for replacement purposes. Besides imagine what Lord @[member="Valik"] could do with a living worm, and alchemy."

 

[Kayla Zorg]

Kayla thought it was a waste just talking it over since seemingly nobody was actually paying any mind to her but she was here nonetheless and would do her best to get the worm from it's original hiding place and indeed it would be a task but she would also be needed to be the bait to lure it away from the lava, or at least try anyway.


As she looked to them all she glared and tilted her head down and turned away and began a jog toward the creature and slowly gathered the force around her for a levitation, one of her greater faucet skills and one of the only ones she could use besides her force break or force injury skills and those would need to, for now, be in close range to use on this thing. As she ran toward it she kept her focus going on at the last minute she jumped and then activated her levitation, she could only use it for a small duration of time but if used right it could land her on top of the giant thing and she would have room to try to take it down herself.

As she leapt up to it she activated her levitation and levitated up close enough to it and used an acrobatic summersault to land on top of the thing, by now it was trying to get her off of it's back but she dug into the scale with her hand and used it as a handle.....somewhat, and held on for all she could and then concentrated while riding the giant thing and used the force to try and inflict injury underneath it's scales, so far it has worked, she levitated up to it and got on top of the things back.... Now it's time to try and injury it to make it easier to take it down.

@[member="Sargon Vynea"]
@[member="Morna Imura"]
@[member="Rave Merrill"]

 

[Dharma Vessia]

“That was part of the idea I had, Sargon… I was also thinking with using the force to talk and dominate the beasts to just crawl up and lay there at our feet to kill. I mean why work so hard when the force can be used to do the work for us… is that over heads or we getting an idea?” Dharma said and questioned. She remember other things talking about force users doing such things to her. So why not try and find out if it could be done with the group she was with currently. However, one decided to take off and try things on her own. She knew of the ability, but it did not behave like what others normally done it.

Dharma slowed turned to the action happening. The creature being hurt would make things so difficult. Something had to be done to help the cowgirl riding her eight second bull. Shouting as she walked slowly at Kayle, “How about getting off of it and stop hurting it!”

 

[Kayla Zorg]

She didn't care about soothing the pain of the thing like the others did, Kayla only cared about destruction yet her plan was altered as the other woman asked her to get down and stop hurting it and so she began to make her way up the things back and toward it's mouth, for now she would slowly crawl up to it's head and then forcibly toss a grenade down it's throat... forcing it to swallow a stun grenade would be a great option and as it was she was not entirely sure if it would work but she had three of them and so she would make sure to force feed them all to this hideous creature.

As she climbed slowly she smirked and then grabbed a hole of a scale to brace herself for a random thrashing it was trying while rooting herself in place and then started to climb again as the thing for a small window in time stopped it's deliberate and foolish tantrum, she was determined to shove the grenades down it's throat that she no longer noticed the others around her.

@[member="Dharma Vessia"]
@[member="Sargon Vynea"]
@[member="Morna Imura"]
@[member="Rave Merrill"]

 

[Sargon Vynea]

"There are many more, @[member="Dharma Vessia"] but this one is already a bit old for that plan I think. Younger minds be easier to convince I imagine, so if @[member="Kayla Zorg"] has her own way to deal with it let her try. She ha just better hope it doesn't dive in the lava, nothing can save her from that death." As the creature started thrashing Sargon grabbed arms in each hand and started to back away from the splashing lava. "Get back, or die your choice." Whomever the woman was she either ridiculously brave, insane, or a complete fool. He supposed he'd find out shortly.

 

[Velok the Younger]

@[member="Sargon Vynea"]'s suggestion was sound, and as it happened her shuttle was never free of tools and things that could be repurposed into building materials. With a grunt of acknowledgement, the young alchemist turned and trudged away from the fun, returning to the shuttle. Upon reaching it, she got to work. The holonet had concepts, and even plans, but none of the plans fit the repurposed parts she had on hand. No, she would have to build this ballista entirely by guts, brains, experience and instinct.

She'd be out of the loop for a while, and others would have plent of time to do things before she was done.

 

[Garza]

Smiling at the thought of looking for eggs I just shook my head. I didnt want to burn my weapon or my tools like last time. I looked around and scoffed at@[member="Kayla Zorg"] and how she may have a hard time trying to do what she wanted. Even then It didn't seem like It was going to work. I walked to the edge of the lava flow and stuck my hand in the red flowing substance. Basalt flow. It was rather runny and not so thick. I nodded my head and began to take my jacket off. Followed by my boots, pants, shirt and undergarments. Standing there bare naked with not a thing to protect me.

Kind of. I had some protection as my body was accustomed to fire like the slugs that swam in it. My body was covered in scars from battles or past times when I was first learning about fire. Even a fire shaper can be burned, but not likely. I created a force bubble around my head that was full of the air I could breathe. and I felt like making fun of the whole situation as I took a swan dive into the pit.
@[member="Rave Merrill"], @[member="Sargon Vynea"]

 

[Onrai]

Circe sighed, listening to everything that was going on. The nearby worm continued to writhe and thrash, generally being scary.

"So... What incapacitates silica life? Electricity? Silicon is an excellent conductor."

 

[Sargon Vynea]

With a quick thought Sargon walked deeper into the tunnels. If @[member="Morna Imura"] was already looking for eggs, and @[member="Kayla Zorg"] had already challenged the adult present he needed a different specimen to try @[member="Rave Merrill"] on. Finding a lavaworm, while it was under the lava was not a simple task though. He wanted to get some room between himself and @[member="Kayla Zorg"]'s fight before he was willing to try to calm one with @[member="Dharma Vessia"]. Extending his senses outwards Sargon tried to feel one any presence through the force, but due to the shocking amount of life in the lava flows he was going to need to concentrate.

Traveling until the sound of the fighting lavaworm was gone Sargon found himself at least a hundred feet more underground. It was quiet though, and there was plenty of shelf for him to stand on without worrying about lava splash. Sitting down he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply allowing his mind to quiet. He'd gotten more used to calling upon the force, and it no longer seemed to take so long to quiet his mind and hear it. As always it was like a whisper on the wind calling him always deeper into it. Letting it flow through him he followed its guidance as his awareness slipped into the lava, and he sought out a lavaworm.

 

[Kayla Zorg]

Kayla continued to ride the worm until she got to it's mouth and quickly lobbed her three grenades down it's throat and then jumped off as it began to dive, she levitated to safety and landed as the thing dove into the lava, within moments the stun grenades went off and she watched as it floated back up to the surface from there it would be good to kill off and would be a great target for someone to kill yet she had other plans...

Taking the time to get her Explosive Blaster Pistol off her back she pointed at it's open mouth and shot into it's mouth and watched as they thing started to erupt in flames and explosions inside of it's body, she watched as the thing quickly was taken care of and smirked as it erupted completely and then looked to the rest and walked away... her job was done.

 

[Onrai]

The nearby worm reared up at Circe. She had gotten too close to it, and now the silica-based lifeform was bearing down on her at a significant speed. She didn't have time to think up a solid plan, so she went with the one that seemed like it would most likely work. Pulling out an EMP grenade, she tossed it in the beast's mouth and rolled out of its way as it barreled past her.

Then it stopped. An angry cry of agony came from the beast as visible currents of electricity pulsed through its silicon carapace. The beast was being overloaded, like a microchip charged beyond its limits. With a loud roar and some writhing and spasming, the beast finally fell, dead.

"Silicon-based life. Living microchips. I enjoy my technology, but not this much..."

Now, she would have to carry the thing away to be skinned.

 

[Velok the Younger]

In due course, Rave trundled out of the transport with a jury-rigged mechanical contrivance on a hoversled. The mechanism itself was a crosswired inertial dampener, a gravitic mass-driver held together with space tape. Rather than chain, the ammunition was linked to powerful cable. Sensor module in hand, she led the hoversled over the broken ground of Eol Sha, not especially caring if anyone joined her.

The hoversled wouldn't quite fit into the crevice. So she began dragging it again, to another place where the ground opened up to allow her access to a magma pool. Electromagnetism, it seemed, would draw silicon-based life with some degree of success.

She lined up the mass driver cable launcher, and waited.

 

[Garza]

I smiled as I dove underneath the surface of the lava. it didn't take me long to reach the bottom I looked up to see the other mammoth of worms that were already on the surface. but we needed something for the egg's. If they were under the lavaflow then mostlikely they would use the lava to incubate the eggs. Keeping them warm untill they hatch. I tried to look around for signs that maybe a sleeping one was laying down or even a track where they may have ran their bellies along the bottom. I dove deeper to get right up to the lava bed where I saw half melted objects that I couldn't even recognize.

I swam across the bottom searching for what ever I may find.

 

[Sargon Vynea]

As Sargon let himself flow further into the force he could feel the individual life forces within the lava, and joined them. He flowed with a lavaworm as it hunted down a rather fast lizard, its pursuit more common to an ocean creature then a worm. he could feel the excitement radiating from the worm as it drew closer, and then suddenly pain. His awareness had become so wrapped up with the awareness of the worm he felt it collide into a rock that jutted from the lava bed floor.

He could feel its pain as clearly as he could have felt his own, or rather its feeling of pain. No part on his body hurt, and yet he could feel its pain radiating out of its being and into himself. The wound wouldn't kill the worm, but it was a nasty bruise and its childlike mind didn't deal well with it. It was that that moment Sargon realized it wasn't even an adult yet, but still growing into its adolescence. Slowly he wrapped his awareness around the worm, and tried to spread his calmness to it. Rubbing against its alien awareness he couldn't speak to it in words, but emotions were a possibility.

Leaving his awareness of the physical behind Sargon just allowed himself to bathe in the peace, and contentment he felt in the force. In turn he allowed it to flow through him, and as such was the worm distracted from its pain. He could feel its child mind searching out for his awareness, and for a moment he almost thought he could see inside its mind. It wanted to play, yes it wanted to play with him. To dive amongst the deepest lava flows and spit them out in a roar of joy. This is what he'd come to kill and take back like another trophy.

Standing up Sargon simply walked out of the caves without a word to anyone, and left the planet without a single scale.

 

[Shinju]

Shinju moved, these fireworms were something interesting to say the least and their scales were something Rave wanted. The scales needed to be extracted carefully and slowly or as the woman held the knife on one of the worms letting it slid down the length of its body. The scales collecting on the blade as it ran under them a little. You could just flay them but more would be needed. More would have to be harvested of course and she would have to work to find more which would be coming as the worm laid there bleeding in her arms. The scales going into a bag as Shinju skipped around and looked for more worms. Oh she would find them and they would become all that they needed.

 

[Velok the Younger]

The ground trembled where Rave stood at the edge of the chasm, and she looked up from the lava flow to watch Sargon's vessel lift off and peel away. A weak stomach, or a deeper understanding; she evaluated the options and turned back to the lava. Her finger was light on the jury-rigged weapon's button.

She really should have come better equipped, but the little ships were all they could take through Sith Empire borders without incurring closer attention and larger questions. They'd already pledged a ten percent tithe of scales to the Empire in return for access rights to the mining world of Eol Sha. That stuck in her craw, but without clearance from on high, she wasn't about to willingly cross Emperor Kaine Zambrano.

The Force whispered, the lava stirred, and her purple eyes opened wide. She spun the flywheel to turn the impromptu capture weapon, aiming by instinct as much as that applied to such an unfamiliar weapon. As an Eol Sha fireworm breached the surface of the magma, she fired.

The end of the hyperaccelerated chain slammed into the fireworm's back at a tiny but appreciable fraction of c, far more oomph than she had intended. The mass driver ripped free of its mount in the other direction and rolled across the ground as the dying fireworm pulled it every which way by the chain. For a crazy moment she thought of the shuttle's tractor beams, but useful as those would be in a few minutes, they didn't remotely apply here. The huge chain rolled across the edge. With a grunt and a roar, she spat out the introductory words to the Speed of the Toocha, and leaped forward to slam her Derriphan's Eye point-first into the rock face, right through a chain link. The alchemical dagger punched into a stone fissure, more a matter of coordination than strength.

A long minute kept her from trembling as she looked down at the dead fireworm.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

The Invictus-class Star Destroyer was a common sight in Sith Empire space, especially in lower-priority systems like Eol Sha. No surprise, then, to see one drop from hyperspace over the mining world. Upon closer inspection, of course, the Chimaera was radically different in at least one crucial area.

Gun count.

Politesse was all well and good, but nothing the Empire had within a hundred parsecs could match its former flagship. Its hangar, too, had been expanded and redesigned: A cluster of modern dropships broke free and angled for the planet. Here as friends or not, it was time to be done. On the Chimaera's bridge, in the durasteel throne where Ashin could perceive her ship's systems and sensor data, the Dark Master examined cargo capacity. The huge silicon-based, lava-swimming creatures would take up both mass and volume, and the storage location needed to be close to the Chimaera's alchemy lab. And this needed to be done quickly. All was not necessarily well in the Empire.

***

Dropships descended, filled with technical crews and labour droids. They began rolling the fireworms onto repulsor pallets, sometimes several in sequence, in order to get them aboard. The slaughtered silicon-based life forms weighed down the dropships, rendered them sluggish as they tried to angle up to the sky and return to Ashin's Star Destroyer. The vessels which the other Fringers had brought here likewise slotted into the Chimaera's bays, and the nondescript Invictus-class starship leaped to hyperspace, having successfully endangered a species.