Is someone here?

[Cosmiverse]

Location: Dunes near ruins of a long gone civilization​

Planet: Planet near the Star of Stewjon (S,49)​

Uninhabited Space,Outer Rim​

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

The job was as easy as can be, go in a ruins, grab some artifact, get out. Ishen stood on top the dune nearby the ruined temple. It was weathered from age but still kept it's gold-colored shine from the sandstone. He left Faithful out of sight to prevent any unnecessary attraction, even if the planet is uninhabited. But that was soon to change.

Ishen looks down to observe a citizen-class transport sitting right on the ruin's doorstep. He was informed by his contract that no-one ever came to this sand-covered planet. But this will put a setback to the original plan if someone did enter.

He slid down the dune with caution of his surroundings. He slowly approaches the temple entrance on the golden wall, peeking out on the entrance side to see any danger. Nothing. He disengages from the wall and approaches the impressively sized door. The pitch darkness within seemed to whisper to him to enter. He felt goosebumps on his skin and shivered. He focused his willpower and steped foot into the engulfing darkness of the temple.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Ishen Plau"]

Belly was in the sand with elbows propped up. Binocs pressed against her face, readings blurred before focusing. Hard to focus with the constant wind whipping up the sand into a yellow, dusty haze. For a second, she thought she saw a set of footprints leading up the the ruins.

Couldn't be for sure though.

Teeth gnawed gingerly on her lower lip. No other fleet members were with her this time. She'd taken a short leave to go exploring on her own. And she didn't realize how much she missed Brak and his barabel toothy smile. [member="Xin Boa"] and his wisecracks. They were becoming more and more like family.

And that realization was a bit more unsettling than those potential footprints in the sand. Frowning, she pushed herself to a stand and slipped the bindis in her satchel and began picking her way down the hillside toward the entrance, hugging the rocks for cover.

 

[Cosmiverse]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Torch in hand, Ishen inspects the engraved worn walls. It shows frequent depictions of an object in the shape of a fairly large object in the shape of a key. The beings in the engravings, which Ishen never seen such a species, seem to be on their knees to it. Ishen continued onward to the main chamber.

Walking into the main chamber, golden light shone through the cracks in the domed roof. The floor was blanketed in sand that matched the walls. The room was primarily empty, except for an altar in the center of the room. Ishen approached the altar, it was made of sandstone and had a details of shimmering black rock. The altar on the top had the engravings of symbols similar to those in the halls.

He then heard the shifting of sand from the halls, now alert, he rapidly looked around to see a sizable piece of the ceiling that fell. He sprinted over to the fallen piece and tried to minimize his movements.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Ishen Plau"]

Feet slid and slipped down the sandy bank. Sun was low in the sky but it was still hot as feth. Karking oven out here. Tinted goggles were planted firmly over her eyes blues kept sweeping back and forth, looking for any signs of life.

Things felt...uneasy.

At least the shade of the ruins provides some relief. Hands pushed the goggles up onto her forehead. And slowly, she began trekking inside. A large crash ahead caught her attention. Sounded like a rock or something falling. Not too unheard of in places like these. Still, she found herself scurrying to the side of the corridor, hugging one of the rough, stone walls. The main chamber room was just up ahead.

 

[Cosmiverse]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Ishen peeks from the rock to see a female cautiously enter the main chamber. Ishen quickly hides and decides to see what she can do about the altar.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Ishen Plau"]

What was that?

Flash of movement caught her eyes. Blinking, she stared. But didn't see anything else. Must just be a trick of the dark. Maybe. Giving it a but, she finally pushed off the wall and entered the chamber.

Device was held in her hand as she approached the altar. Fingertips began pushing in several symbols. With a snap-hiss, the top of a small box on the altar opened, raiding a cube-like shape. Reaching out, she plucked it from the pedestal.

 

[Cosmiverse]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Ishen notices the object and with swiftness handled his T-6 heavy blaster, Gospel. He rose out of his cover, the barrel of the blaster pointing at her, as he speaks in an aggressive tone.

"That is something I require, now if you could, kindly hand it over. I would rather like to keep this clean."

He nods his head upwards gesturing towards the cube.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Ishen Plau"]

The explorer jumped, surprise flashing across her features. She instantly crouched behind the altar, starburst-blues peaked beyond the top. "Sneaking up on people's not very polite mister," she called from her temporary cover. She held the cube in one hand, peering into the semi-lit darkness, trying to figure out where the aggressor was.

What did this mook think would happen?

"Don't think I can do that," activating her wrist shield, she bolted in the opposite direction, leaving her temporary cover for a corridor over and stashing the cube in her satchel.

 

[Cosmiverse]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Ishen aims his gun at the now sprinting female, then the weak domed celing over the exit.

"I told you, I would rather keep this clean!"

He fires his heavy blaster, and with a well placed aim, the ceiling crumbles with grinding of stone. The rocks from the now damaged ceiling crash down in front of the corridor's entrance with a mighty crash. Ishen pleads with his blaster pointed at the ceiling.

"Please, just hand over the object. I really would hate to hurt a person I don't have to."

He sighs heavily.

"Listen, I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't expect someone else to come here."

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Ishen Plau"]

The golden energy circle caught some falling debris and rocks from the man's shot as she stumbled back, landing on her rear. "Oomph." She quickly rolled and dodged behind some of the rubble, peaking out from cover once more. Blaster found its way to her other hand.

"Yeah, okay."

Clear she wasn't buying it.

"Who the feth are you?"

 

[Cosmiverse]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Ishen lowers his weapon, but not holster it.

"I'm just a man that needs that cube. It isn't that important to you right?"

He tilts his head and in a sarcastic tone he says,

"Unless some fancy rock from the sand is important to you."

He stops and reflects on what he just said and he sputters.

"I mean- the rock- UGH!"

He kicks the sand lightly.

"What I'm trying to say is that it is more important to me than to you."

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Ishen Plau"]

She pffft'd him from behind her cover.

"I just went through all this work and it's not important to me?!" Head shook and blues rolled. Who was this mook? a shaft of light caught her attention behind her. If she scrambled, she just might make it back to the surface.


Glancing down, she checked the power setting on her wrist shield. Seemed like it would last. Rocking from heels to toes, she sprinted for the opening, shield up as she scrambled up the half-crumbling tunnel. Blaster fired off in his direction to cover her tracks.