Nathan found and killed more of the fleshy, snarling abominations, using shield and spear in equal measure. He didn't use his pistol. He had only one clip.
The attacks grew more aggressive. More pronounced.
One particularly large variant came out of a nearby cave and charged, it's body riddled with horrible sores that bled pus.
Nathan took aim, and hurled his spear at its face...
...and the monster caught it, snapping it in two.
"Damn..." Nathan grumbled, his heart beat over 70 per minute only due to the physical exertion.
He at last drew his pistol, took aim, using the large, top mounted laser sight to assist his aim and opened fire, emptying the clip into it's face. It stopped to a dead slide on the ground a few meters from him. He immediately retrieved the pointy end of his snapped in half spear, noting the Vibro Electronics still worked.
More snarls. He ran, not because he was afraid, but because he was outnumbered. One tackled him and he just barely managed to get the shield up in time, it's swipes for vital parts scratching up the surface untill the claws threatened to shear through.
Nathan beheaded it with his broken spear, deflecting the next brutal attacks from another, backing off, not yelling in pain as he sustained a gash to his shoulder.
It leapt for him again and he cleaved across it with his damaged vibro shield and then ran again as more gave chase. He slew any that got close, until they started to withdraw. He heard the cries of pain elsewhere and saw a Jedi Knight surrounded by the things, fighting them off. The Lightsaber triggered burst of pain across his entire body as he remembered his death, before he rushed to the others aid, slashing into the surprised monsters very brutally, no grunts of exertion, no expression beyond the grim one that never left his face.
The Monsters fell dead at their feet, and the Jedi, who was more wounded than Nathan, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Master, I...wait...who are you?" the male Nautolan asked.
"Nathan." Nathan answered.
"Got a last name, Nathan?"
"Yes." Nathan answered (A Burt Reynolds reference in 2022?: 90 XP). He turned away from her, didn't elaborate, and walked away.
"Hey wait!" The Jedi called out. "Are you with the SJC?"
Nathan shrugged. The Jedi began to follow him.
"It was... fortuitous you came along when you did. They'd just about overwhelmed me. I'm Varzin. Gael Varzin."
"My name is still Nathan." Nathan replied in a voice devoid of mirth or warmth. "And I presume you are conducting some sort of operation in this area?"
Varzin frowned, off-put by the unnaturally cold demeanor as they walked through the dark woods.
"Yeah, there are children missing... what's it to you?"
"I want off this planet, but I don't have the fuel." Nathan replied bluntly. "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement. I help the Jedi with whatever is going on in these parts, you give me the fuel I need to leave."
"I...I
think something like that can be arranged, yes. But what were you doing in this area?" Gael asked.
Nathan's head swiveled to Varzin, in an unnaturally slow and precise motion.
"You ask a lot of questions for a man who was almost monster chow."
Varzin decided to drop the questioning, creeped out beyond words by the calmness of his voice and the steely, unfeeling expression that seemed permanently stuck to his face.
He could sense his very strong presence in the Force, though, which was why he had mistaken him for a Master.
Whoever he was, he was someone to be watched...
Nathan heard monsterous roars ahead. A Tarentatek. Hs went slower, bringing up his shield, watching the heavily corrupted monster trying to corner
Caltin Vanagor
.
"Let's go give him some assistance before that beast slaughters those younglings..." Nathan said in a dispassionate tone, like he was painting a wall.
He ran forward with Gael, looking to try and sneak up on the beast to distract it from all those kids...
Leddie Gred
Dagos Terrek
Micah tol Powl
Matsu Ike