House Call

[Makai Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"] | Arcadia-N-30 | Village Outskirts, Name Unknown

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It had been hours since they had begun to hike once more. A farmer had dropped them off as far as he could take them but from there on it was by foot. The village was too far, too remote to access by easier means. There had been talk of dropping from space and getting a closer position to the village. However, local scholars advised it wouldn't be a good idea. The Horde had been unkind to the once bustling planet. Well, bustling for the area. Arcadia-N-30 had been set up as a remote trade center in its prime. The Kathol Outback was looking to do the same once again. At least businesses were popping up in the area, a new trade center was being built. Several organizations had outposts on the planet once again.


Shifting the heavy pack on his back, Makai kept up pace with Dr.Robinson, sweat matting down curls at the back of his neck. He had elected to carry the heavier of the two, loaded down with medical supplies and various nutritional supplements for the villagers. Dust kicked up around his boots on the old road, but at least so far the path was well marked and fairly easy to maneuver.


"I'm not seeing any outlines of a village. Not sure we're going to make it before nightfall."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

"Good that. I'm about buggered." Matt swallowed down one of the ginger-mints he was known to perpetually chew. Squinting hazel-eyes looked up. "Sky looks a bit dodgy to the East. Might get a storm later tonight. If we're lucky, we won't get one at all."

Still. Better to be cautious and set camp well. The openness of the landscape made him nervous. They'd be pretty exposed. When he got the holo that Makai was interested in coming for an expedition he thought the boy was mad. Then the medic realized he was even madder for agreeing to take the Outback's biggest sponsor's son.

Matt managed not to be too squirrelly about the situation. He was glad for the help, no matter who it was. And Makai seemed more than capable for anyone and not just a rich guy's son. And Matt was the type of person who didn't have a problem treating anyone like an equal.

"See any good spots for camp?" Matt didn't say it but he was worried about animals and bandits. Blokes out here tended to get desperate. Once the medic was established in a spot, things tended to run more smoothly. The village would protect their own and Matt was usually adopted into that definition right away.

But nothing was established here.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"]


"Well.....I don't know. I've never had a reason to take Military Tactics, so what is a good spot for camping? We can go high, but we'll be exposed and if it storms wind can knock us around. Go low, we will be more sheltered from wind and it will hide our light....but we better pray this area isn't prone to flash flooding."


Stormy blue eyes searched the horizon, looking about for any signs of anything they could turn into bit of an 'outpost'. It seemed to be mostly farmlands and open field, grass overtaking where anything wasn't planted. Hiking throughout the night didn't seem an option, especially on an open road. Makai was smart enough to know they'd have to find somewhere off the main path in order to keep things quiet.


Cresting their next hill, Makai stopped to stare and survey. Hand touched [member="Thessa Kai"]'s old blaster, now his, to make sure it was still there. Makai wasn't sure he could actually shoot someone but the blaster remained as a defense mechanism just in case. There were no lawmen out here. No one to help out if they got in a bind.


"So, what do you think?"

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

"Oy, all good points. We could be in a very balls up situation real quick." Matt scratched his head. Finger pointed across the fields. It was a mid-ground spot. Seemed to be nestled between two smaller rises. Enough for some cover and hopefully enough to protect against flooding. It was as good as they were gonna get in a place like this.

"Let's try that. Set-up camp. Get a fire going. And I don't mind taking first watch. But we should have one all night. Good with that, mate?" Matt's long strides trundled ahead, not really needing to slow up for Makai. That bloke had long enough strides himself.

"And I think in a flash flood, you'd be okay, right?" With a half-grin he looked back at the half-human. Still, he was curious from a medical perspective. Scales on the boy's face pointed to an obvious assumption.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

"Yeah, I'm good with that." Makai could have easily taken first shift if needed. Maybe it was a good idea to have [member="Matthew Robinson"] take first watch. He was a prolific snorer, so it was probably in the young doctor's best interest to take the first watch - he wouldn't fall asleep anyways with the noise he made.


Hopping off the path, Makai immediately went searching for something to start a fire before the light died. Camping on the beach, an activity he had done many times over, was similar. There wasn't often wood to be found in such areas. Dry grass would have to do, along with small branches from woody bushes and plants. He got busy collecting as Matthew continued on about the flooding.


"I'd fine fine, yeah. You, probably not so much. I do know basic resuscitation techniques however." He had learned from a young age, mainly from hanging out with non-aquatic friends like [member="Myra Elspeth"] and the Heavenshields. His Dad had thought it a good idea, as a fail safe in case something happened.


Finishing up his task, Makai dropped his pack before twisting the dried grass together into log-like bunch, adding in the twigs. Soon enough a fire was started, albeit a small one. He watched it grow before reaching into his pocket pulling out his comm. He quickly took a holoimage of the sunset before sending it with a message to [member="Myra Elspeth"]


[ Who knew the Outback could be so stunning? Out on my volunteer assignment with Dr.Robinson. Wish you could have tagged along, I'm starting to miss being bossed around. XD ]


Chuckling, he stuck the comm back in his pocket for now, digging around for the small tent he had been carrying.


"Sure you don't want me to take first watch?" Foot kicked out the tent floor that had been rolled up. "I am younger after all, I know you old guys need your rest."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

"Blimey, let's hope it doesn't come to that, mate," Matt cracked a grin. If he wanted anyone to resuscitate him, it would be that hot blonde from from when the sith invaded that galactic alliance transport. He shrugged off his pack. Limbs stretched.

Hazel-gaze gave one last glance along the horizon. The wind was already picking up. Digging out his bedroll, he put it inside the tent, before popping back out and grabbing a spot by the crackling fire. No knowing how long it would last with the storm. Chin tip toward the comm, dark-brows lofting.

"You sending that to your dad?"

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Wind made his curly hair even more unruly as he stuck his own bedrolll in the tent. He could hear the distant sounds of thunder, rumbling across the grasslands to their ears. Eyes scanned the horizon and saw nothing but waving tall grasses and the threat of rain.


Comm continued to buzz in his pocket as he pulled out a ready to eat meal packet and threw one to [member="Matthew Robinson"] .Another was in his hand as he stretched out on the ground, beginning to let the meal start to heat in its own container while he checked the comm.


[ Oh that looks pretty! Wait, you're out in Kathol?? For how long?? Like.... years? ] There was a few minutes followed in between before the second message had arrived while he was getting food. [ and i'm not bossy! ]


"No, not Dad. Uh..its a..." Makai struggled for the right words. [member="Myra Elspeth"] was his crush and he had been hit hard in recent months. The girl was two years or so younger than him, and his Dad was advising him to go slow. Besides, he didn't want to scare her off "...a friend. I've known her since we were little kids."


Several minutes had gone by and more messages were flooding in. [ Who is Dr. Robinson?? And are you really going to be out there for years???] Another few minutes between replies, due to the poor holonet in the system.[ Makai Dashiell you better not be out there for years!!]

In between bites of piping hot food from his ready-to-eat pouch, Makia typed back. [No, I'm not that far out into the Outback at all. Fringes, I guess its called. ] A few minutes go by, with him laughing at the replies. [No! Maybe a month. I do have school! Koa! Dad!] Several minutes [ I hear there's some cute farmgirl waiting for my return too. ]

[ WAIT!? What farmgirl?!! ]
[ Did you meet someone when you were out on Salacami?!!]
[ Who is she?! ]


[ No. She lives out on some farm with her parents. Really is a castle. Brown hair, likes to boss me around, known me for years ] Several minutes pass by. Mainly because Ellie is blushing like mad and doesn't know what to reply with.Eating his food with increased slowness, he frowns before sending a reply back. [ Its you, in case you don't know. ]


Putting the comm away, free hand ran through the mess of curls. What did he do wrong? Frown deepened as he thought, finishing off his meal and reaching for his canteen. Eyes found Dr.Robinson once again, deciding the man may have some insights.


"Is it an insult to call a girl you like cute? I mean...should I have went with pretty or beautiful? She's all three...its just new to me. I don't want to scare her off. I don't think she knows I like her...makes things worse I think."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

Matt chuckled - a bit in relief that messages weren't flying out toward the billionaire CEO and financial backer. He set his own meal packet to boiling and began to get his rain gear from his pack. He just didn't trust that sky.

Dark-brows continued to loft as a series of constant dings went off from the exchange of messages. The medic tried to keep a straight-face. He stirred up the insta-dinner and took out a spoonful, blowing on it as the kid asked his question. Oy, no, young adult.

"Erm," he took a bite and munched on it, hazel-eyes going to Makai's face. "I'd expect not. Telling a girl she's bonnie shouldn't drive her off. I think you're over thinking this, mate. Then again, I've had some barmy experiences with women, so I might not be the best to ask." He laughed and took another bite.

"What's her name? Maybe when you get back from this mission, you could have a face-to-face with her?"

 

[Makai Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"]


There was no buzz in his pocket, no chime of notification of a new incoming message from [member="Myra Elspeth"] . Makai was still a little upset with the turn of events. Brows furrowed in thought. Did Ellie not like him? Maybe he was just tolerated as a friend and little more. He hoped Ellie liked him....why bother being around him all the time if she didn't?


Makai wasn't sure what 'barmy' was but he could only assume it was someone who was bad with girls. It seemed Dr.Robinson wasn't the person to ask love advice. At least the man didn't disagree calling a girl 'cute' was grounds for a no-reply.


"Her name is Ellie. We're best friends. Or I thought we were....maybe she sees me like some big brother. " Makai internally panicked at that. He didn't want to be the brother figure for someone he had a crush on! "I....I don't know. Its getting late, I'm going to get some sleep. Wake me up for my watch shift."


Makai cleaned up his mess and crawled into the tent, into his sleeping bag. Probably best not to think about it but Ellie was all he could think about as he stared at the gray walls of the small tent.

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

Matt shook his head, eyes cast down on his food. "'Right mate." He couldn't hide his smirk. "That's a bonnie name. Oy, maybe when you get back you can just ask her out. Then you'd be real chuffed if she said yes." Coughing back another chuckle, he focused his full attention back on his food. A few drops of water hit his nose, hair, arms. everywhere. He shrugged on his rain gear and growled, hugging what was still left of the fire.

Glancing over his shoulder at the tent, he shook his mop of slightly damp hair.

"Lucky sod."

Taking a tarp out, he hugged it around himself as well. Hazel-eyes kept on the horizon. A few hours later, the down poor turned into a light drizzle. A damp boot kicked the teen's foot. "Makai. Get up. Your watch."

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Rain pattering on the roof of the tent lulled him to sleep, soon he was loudly snoring while [member="Matthew Robinson"] remained on watch during the storm. At least until he was nudged awake by the young Doctor's foot. Groaning slightly, Makai stirred, moving slow. Hair was in a complete disarray and he shivered slightly upon leaving his sleeping bag. He shrugged on a waterproof windbreaker and zipped it up to his throat, exiting the tent so Dr.Robinson could get some sleep.


Blaster holster came to rest low on his hips once again, taking his mothers old blaster from the man and placing it back at his side. He stretched slightly, looking up at the night sky. Inky black glittered with more bright stars that one could point out in the sky, causing him pause grow silent for a moment before turning his attention back to Dr.Robinson.


"Anything I should know about?"


A pause.


"Looks like the rain got to you, might wanna change."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

"Yeah," Matt shivered, jamming his numbed fingers into his damp pockets. "Don't wanna get 'thermia out here where I'd be treating myself." He cracked a wavering grin. Hazel-gaze went from the blaster on the teen's hip to the darkened surroundings.

"No. Just don't be a hero if you think something's about to go dodgy. Wake me up. Can't afford to lose you." His grin widened. Still, he gave one last glance outside before dipping into the tent. He exchanged wet clothes for dry ones and threw on a thermal blanket. Teeth chattered awhile before he finally fell into a restless sleep.

Warmth would come. Hopefully.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

"Got it" a slight pause, a grin. "We die together then"


He was trying to ease [member="Matthew Robinson"]'s fears about the blaster. Could Makai actually shoot? Not really. He had brought it along for a sense of protection out the middle of nowhere. Not to mention odd predator animals that could easily tear the pair apart limb from limb. He watched the man retreat into the tent before focusing back on his surroundings.


Most of the time Makai was left alone with his thoughts. The fire had died and he didn't bother scurrying off in the dark to add to it. Wouldn't matter anyways, the grasslands were solidly drenched from the rains. Every time he walked around his boots splashed in the small puddles that hadn't drained yet.


Yawning, the sky was beginning to lighten up in the pre-dawn hours of the morning. It wasn't quite night yet not quite morning, the sun still had a ways to go before showing itself over the horizon. Iced azure eyes scanned the horizon, with Makai lifting his arms and stretching. Something moved on a hill just to his left, a couple hundred feet away. Blinking, he looked again to make sure he wasn't crazy. The dark shadowy figure moved once again, as if it was watching him as well.


Growing uneasy, Makai went to stand back closer to the tent. If it was a creature, he couldn't run off and get killed. The creature would only return to harm the defenseless Doctor.

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

Matt breathed deeply. His sleep was fairly deep too, even with a growing scratching and burning sensation running down the back of his throat. It wasn't the irritation of an incoming cold that woke him up. It was a prickling of danger through the force. Tired-hazel eyes cracked open to a growing light through the thin-fabric of the tent. Still early morning

Lanky body sat up, half still in the thermal bag. He swallowed, wincing at the feeling. He coughed once, clearing his throat. Eyes finally focused on a shadow very close to the tent's entrance. It was Makai's outline. Couldn't miss that hair. Fingers fumbled with the zipper to the thermal.

Raspy-voice called out.

"Makai?"

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Iced azure eyes kept a track on the creature/human that was clearly scoping them out. Grass ruffled as it moved slowly, moving in a semi-circle to come parallel to the tent a distance away. As it moved ground was being gained, as if calculating its next move. With all the lights out Makai could track the movements of it using the dim pre-dawn brightness.


[member="Matthew Robinson"] called out his name. Makai carefully backed up to the tent flap. Keeping his eyes on their visitor, one hand slipped behind his back to unzip the entryway slightly.


"Yeah? Hey....get your pants on. We gotta leave, something is out here."

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

Fingers finally yanked the thermal zipper down and he wormed his way out. "Don't you worry about my trousers," a cough raked through his body. "It was too blimin' cold to sleep without them."

Matt always tried for humor.

He stepped out, gripping a pair of binoculars. His voice was significantly lowered. "Where am I looking, mate? And we can't leave. If it's a beastie, it'll think we're prey if we run."

Thoughts drifted briefly to his run in with the sabercat when he was marooned in the outer rim. That time a force ghost girlie saved his life. This time, he imagined they wouldn't be so lucky.

"And if it's sentient, I'd rather face it now than with or backs turned...unless we're outnumbered. Then we're gonna run like feth. Leave our stuff and get it later. Got it?" He brought the scope up to his hazel eyes and peered through.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

The cough rattling [member="Matthew Robinson"] worried Makai. His comm had a decent range, enough to call in for help if needed. [member="Myra Elspeth"] was also a message away, able to rally Arceneau Trade vessels in the area or his family's own Salacia Consolidated salvage crews. Thought lingered in the back of his mind, hoping the Doctor was strong enough to make their escape.


"Don't think we're outnumbered. Looks like one.....unless I'm blind." A slight pause. "These eyes were made more for underwater..."


A little bit of his own humor as a scaled hand reached up and moved the binoculars towards the movement in the brush. Dr.Robinson's options weren't looking too good. Each option presented seemed to stay and fight and face whatever it was. Probably better than leading it to the village with them.


"See it yet?"

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

"Yeah, mate," lips quirked slightly upwards at the kid's humor. Fingers focused the binoculars. The half-light was making it hard to see exactly what it was. But he caught a movement of shadow. The small smile quickly turned into a frown. Jaw clenched.

"Bollocks. I see two moving in tandem. Looks like strill. We'll smell them soon enough. Got your blaster handy?" He offered the binocs to Makai as another cough raked through his spine. FETH.

Legs planted and his hands came up - pale fingers spreading. He was going to try the same method he used on the blond sith in that star destroyer. A force push - maybe a bubble if they needed it. He just hoped his concentration wouldn't lapse because the creatures were coming at them at a run, now. They'd appear over the rise just before he and Makai any second.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

[member="Matthew Robinson"]


Makai stood with the blaster ready, noticing his hands were shaking ever so slightly. He rarely had the need to pull out the weapon. The last time had been on a hike with [member="Myra Elspeth"] , they had encountered a large predator out in the forests of her home. Makai hadn't done much then, merely shot the blaster in the air and at a tree and it had taken off, scared.


Most likely he wouldn't have the same luck today. The smell was horrible, one that caused him to gag. If he had breakfast in his stomach no doubt it would already be all over the ground, distracting him from the strills. They were large, gape mouthed beasts with rows upon rows of teeth.


Lovely. Certainly wasn't like his loth-cat back home.


Finger squeezed the trigger, firing straight at the chest of the creature closest to him. Always go for the largest part of the body, didn't trust his accuracy on hitting the head.

 

[Matthew Robinson]

[member="Makai Dashiell"]

They came faster than he expected. And he was glad he wasn't alone. He knew Makai was focusing on one. Matt's attention shifted on the other. His protection bubble shimmered to life as a light-blue charging and tinting the air just in front of the other strill. Palms slammed forward.

The strill jumped but the bubble still caught it's legs, sending it backward and tumbling to the ground. But not as far as Matt would've preferred. "Give a bloke a break," he grumbled beneath his breath and sneezed violently. Hazel-gaze turned to Makai, realizing in his own fight with beastie one, he had put more distance between himself and the teen's side than he felt comfortable with.