Riders on the Sand Storm [SSC Dominion of Tash-Taral]

[George O Rourke]

[member="Kixi Rajki"] | [member="Elpsis Kallikora"] | [member="Ryn'Dhal"] | [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Objective: Save the Survivors
3/20

Uh thats not what I want to hear... The Jedi Knight thought to himself as Kixi relayed the information she had found out to him. "Well lets get in there." George replied as the pair of them climbed into the destroyed cruiser.

The lighting was dull and it wasn't easy to see through large cruiser. George pulled one of his lightsabers from his hip and ignited the blue blade. Illuminating the hallway. "Alright lets move, quickly and quietly. Listen for anything, good bad and ugly." He said as they started their sweep of the ship.

As they made their way down a corridor they found two males laying motionless against the wall. George walked over to them, places two fingers on their throat searching for a pulse. "We're too late... They're gone." He said as his face turned down the sad truth that they wouldn't be able to save everyone aboard was beginning to become a real.

As the pair of them moved on there was noise coming from George's earwig. Partial words could be heard, but due to their position within the ship it was a little spotty. Not hearing much he decided to give a vague reply. "Yes... Coalition Forces. Here... Crash... George..." The message was partial due to their position, but hoping he got the message across. If not they would no doubt find out who was on the other side.

 

[Anna Song]

Gold of the Desert
Part 1/20

Five figures stood before the great stone door. Clad in brown dusted garments and baked dry by the sun. They stood still without moving. All eyes on the tall door that lay ahead. All patient and waiting for the ceremony to start. All waiting and patiently for the adventure to begin.

Tash Taral was a barren desert planet. Dry and cursed. With a small population of survivors and vagrants who made the surface world their home. Often daring to venture underground in search of the most precious resource they knew. Water. The blue gold of the desert. The life of the Tashabaan. The village settlement these travelers had ventured out from. All of their tribal eyes upon the door to the Shadow Tomb that awaited them.

One figure stepped forward into the sun's hot rays and removed her hood. Revealing the soft red skin and brilliant blue hair of a Zelosian female. Her eyes bladed and glittered in the sun. She was beautiful and terrible. Graceful and yet feared above all. Because she had the 'knack', as the locals say. This alien woman who had traveled to them from the stars and from afar off, was special. She could touch the Force. Her name was Mas Petra of Voss. And she and her apprentice, Anna Song of Yavin, were going to help these strange people survive. To see another day.

"Anna, are you ready to begin?" The beautiful red woman asked.

"I am Master. And I will follow your lead."

Another woman stepped forward under the sun. Removed her dry hood and balked at the blinding noon light. Her eyelids blinking horizontally, not vertically, and revealing her aquatic heritage's most primitive discomfort. The poor blonde Jedi was made for the water and for the air. How she resisted this coarse sandy terrain and hated it. Keeping the distant sounds of some foreign ocean closer to her heart.

Both women reached out with their hands and with their feelings. Touching the Force and the forces beyond. Closing their dark eyes to the sun and concentrating on the task before them. The rest of the figures all around shuffled with anxiety. As the door began to shake and shiver. The tomb was awakening now. It's cursed seal slowly removed. All eyes began to gasp as the heavy stone door begin to lift up from the desert ground. Rising slowly until it shook with delight and anguish alike. Then it stopped. Perfectly situated at the top of the doorway and silent as the grave. Mas Petra and her Apprentice once again opened their eyes and smiled at the feat. Even as their onlookers gasped with delight and new fortunes. The door to the Tomb was now open.

The path to new water, awake.

 

[Kixi Rajki]

[member="George O Rourke"], [member="Elpsis Kallikora"], [member="Ryn'Dhal"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Objective: Save the Survivors
3/20

George could hear faint noises and tried to send a signal or message in the hope that they could be heard.

"Here Master, use this to amplify and boost your signal. It will help your signal penetrate the walls, debris, smoke etc and increase the chances of someone knowing that we're here."

Kixi then handed George a small alien looking device which he could simply attach to his earwig. As he did that, Kixi ignited her own lightsabre and had a look around the room.

"Apart from those two deceased men back there, there is no one around here. We need to move fast to the source of where those sounds are coming from Master."

 

[Darth Libertas]

Ancient tomb
(5)


The ancient pyramid had truly seen better days. Once upon a time it had been grand and it still stood tal and proud, but decay was evident everywhere. The decayed, rusting door had not been able to resist her as she used her power to force it open, granting her entrance into a long, dark chamber. Surreptitiously and with her senses alert, she entered. Much of the ancient structure was underground and been broken or caved in, but she could still find a path. A glow rod provided a measure of illumination as she may her way through a corridor. The images and hieroglyphs were rather decayed, but some could still be made out.


Monumental carvings and statues had once stood here, but most had collapsed or eroded. Images of glory and apocalyptic destruction, of a benevolent ruler who ruled over the peons. Alas, Sumiko had to restrain her urge to spend time examining every nook and cranny, every crevice in the wall, for this was not an archaeological dig, but there was one pillar that commanded her attention. The words inscribed it were writing in an archaic script, but she could make them out


There is no emotion, there is wise reflection on our situation.
There is no ignorance, there is the guidance of our compassionate ruler.
There is no passion, there is rightful obedience to the code.
There is no chaos, there is peace under our laws.
Through the Force, she has blessed us.


I see you took our desire for control to its extreme and threw in some Jedi self-righteousness, It certainly sounded like a terribly mangled Jedi Code. It looked like someone had torn the script apart and sewn it back up. "I commend the pitiful mind that created this. It's am improvement upon the deluded slave morality of the Jedi, if dripping with self-righteousness," Souldrinker spoke. However, before Sumiko could say something witty, the ground beneath her started to give way, for there were cracks in the floor. Immediately Sumiko ran, using the Force to give strength to her muscles and amplify her speed.


After all, presumably falling into the depths of the pit would be less than pleasant. Especially if it was full of zombies or beasts, since that was a common trope of ancient tombs, no matter how unrealistic it might be. The floor behind her suddenly vanished and she leapt over another crack, but then was not fast enough and when the floor beneath her disappeared she lost her footing, seemingly falling down into the abyss before managing to call the Force into her legs and leaping across the distance. As the ground crumbled she broke into a roll, finally reaching safe territory. Not wasting time she jumped to her feet.


"Still with me. Good. Wait...danger." Concern from the sword? Undoubtedly not. Her senses flared up as a feeling of impending menace descended upon her, just as the sword had spoken. She had not even had time to catch her breath, when suddenly a giant spider, a Klaxxi, manifested, invisible to her naked eye, had launched itself at her. Little did Sumiko know that there was a pair of them!


Her own affinity with illusions meant she could perceive a shade of the first beast as it pounced upon its prey. And so she swiftly brought up Souldrinker to block when a mass of tendrils came down upon her with crushing force. The sentient blade intercepted the immense black spikes, preventing them from skewering her. However, pain from sheer impact still surged through her body and she stumbled. Not wasting a chance, the beast quickly pursued her. Quickly Sumiko rolled and a decapitating thrust from a black leg hit the solid stone ground with a loud thud. Her blade parried vicious blows and sliced through legs as she tried to slip under the Klaxxi as it tried to strike her with its frontal legs, so that she could ram her blade into its belly.



Then there was agony when the second beast, the one that had gone unnoticed until now, revealed itself and brutally thrust its leg through her right shoulder and slung her to the ground with a sickening crunch. Bones certainly had been broken as white hot pain washed through her body. There was no time to assess the damage as both beasts advanced and she rolled quickly to avoid being torn apart. The scent of her blood filled the air, her right arm felt useless and limp with her shoulder having been turned into a bloody mess. Souldrinker had fallen out of her hand. "This won't be your end, won't it? We shall slaugher them together."


<< We remember you. We will devour you >>


"I am no one's dinner!" The pain coursing through her body along with the adrenaline drove her, as she felt her anger rise, and the sword fed her power. She sucked in air, and then the immediate outlet of her anger came in form of a loud scream, a Force Scream, born out of wroth and hatred. Strong enough to shatter teeth and burst eardrums, it blossomed into a shockwave that picked up the first Klaxxi creature and sent it crashing against the half-destroyed ceiling with a loud, sickening crunch as the beast was rammed into solid stone, splattering blood over it. The fingers of a shaking hand curved, and Souldrinker abruptly rose into the air to be rammed through the beast's chest. All happened in the span of seconds, but now she had to turn her attention to the beastie that had run through her shoulder just moments earlier.



Pain surged through her as she moved, but nonetheless she did not flail as she turned around when the beast raced towards her. The Force Scream had tossed it aside as well, though with less force, and given her some breathing space, but now it came at her again. Even as her sword returned to her, she pulled out her shattergun with her left hand to fire. Projectiles travelling at hyper-velocity connected with the beast, blowing off legs and piercing its exoskeleton. Already badly hurt as internal organs were damaged, the beast to slash across her leg to draw blood before she shot through its skull, killing it. Breathing heavily, she spared her rather messed up shoulder a glance, shuddering. More dark presences manifested close to her.


[member="Valiens Nantaris"]

 

[George O Rourke]

[member="Kixi Rajki"] | [member="Elpsis Kallikora"] | @Ryn`Dhal | @Abagieal E'ron

Objective: Save Survivors
4/20

As Kixi handed over her piece of tech George attached it to his earwig, boosting the signal both ways. "I say again this is Jedi Knight George O Rourke with the Coalition forces. We are investigating the downed cruiser. Over." George's signal this time was boosted and made the distance, the entire message was sent to the people on the otherside although he still didn't know who they were, as their first transmission was patchy.

As Kixi looked around with her lightsaber ignited she noticed that it was just the two males in the corridor. She thought it would be best to continue moving and George agreed. "Alright lets keep going." He replied as the pair of them continued down the corridor further and further into the downed cruiser.

 

[Kixi Rajki]

[member="George O Rourke"], [member="Elpsis Kallikora"], [member="Ryn'Dhal"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Objective: Save Survivors
4/20

As the pair hurried down the corridor and into darkness, Kixi chose to turn off her lightsabre and instead turn on a small torch on her wrist brace.

"I feel something faint. There is someone alive here."

She didn't need her torch to guide her to the man laying on the floor, as the Force guided both her and her master to him. She put her hand on his forehead.

"He's weak and barely conscious. He is injured and bleeding under the lower torso."

Kixi quickly observed as she moved her body to that part of the man's body, stretched out with both hands and initiated a Force healing technique. She used a lot of energy to stop the man's bleeding and close the wound. However he was still far from saved and would require medical attention sooner than later. Kixi turned to the barely conscious man.

"What happened?

The man barely able to speak replied.

"Systems went went crazy. Sud, suddenly we fell planet bound. Then, then boom and, and I blacked out."

It was evidently clear that he didn't know much and that they needed to move on. Yet the man needed help.

"What do we do now Master? We can't leave him here otherwise he'll die, yet we need to search for others and where that initial signal came from."

 

[George O Rourke]

[member="Kixi Rajki"] | [member="Elpsis Kallikora"] | @Ryn`Dhal |[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

As the pair of them continued through the corridors Kixi felt something, a faint life sign in the distance. She guided the both of them to a man who was barely conscious. She quickly initiated a healing force technique that closed the wounds of the man. "Good work Kixi" He said as he knelt down beside the two.

"Can you walk?" He asked the man.

"Yes, but barely." The man replied faintly.

It was clear that they had to split up. One would have to take the injured man back to the ship for further treatment and they other to continue the search for survivors. "Kixi, would be able to help this man back to one of the ships. Get him resting once he's in a stable condition you can come back and continue the rescue mission." George said, he knew that there must have been more people alive on board and that they needed to continue the search.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Location: Crashed Cruiser.
Objective: Get out alive with Elpsis

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"] | [member="Tempest"] | [member="Kixi Rajki"] | [member="George O Rourke"] | [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

(4)

She froze, a large black cat-like creature entered the ship from force knows where. It approached her, sizing her up it seemed as if deciding to kill her. Abaigeal's hand grabbed hold of her saber but she did not ignite it as there was something in the creatures eyes, recognition maybe, that stopped her hand. Then it simply vanished toward the back of the ship. "Well that was weird", she had not felt anything around the creature, it not recognise it as Ryn as she had only met him the once briefly which was a while ago, but the force told her that this creature was more, something confused and fighting a desire between natural instinct and the greater good.

"Yes we have to get out, Elpsis I sense there are others near by and we have to warn them. And I hope that cat gets out soon or it will be killed". Running down the corridor from which the large cat had entered the two girls would soon find the opening. The blaring sun light burned her eyes and the raised a hand to shield them while squinting. At this point, Elpsis received a message, the Coalition had sent a party to rescue them and then she heard voices.

"Get away from the ship!", she yelled as loudly as possible through fits of coughing, hoping that George and Kixi would hear. Her breathing mask had been too big and useless. "If the explosion does not kill us the smoke will, hurry!".

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Objective: Investigate Old Sith Tombs
Post: 2

As he sat now meditating upon the rock surrounded by younglings doing their own thing, Thurion breathed in the humid yet fresh air of Tash-Taral. There was a sense of darkness lingering over this planet, as was the case with many worlds in their corner of the known galaxy. Many had a history with the Sith empires of old, which only made it more fitting to rid them of the darkness left behind by their oppressive overlords. Learning from the past is just as important, hence the little excursion to visit the ancient tombs. His thoughts were interrupted, however, when one of the younglings tugged at his sleeve. Pretending to be asleep, Thurion let out a loud snore much to the enjoyment of the little girl.

"Master, come see what we've made," she giggled, at which point he opened his eyes and followed her to the site of a simple yet effective sand castle. "Very good," he congratulated her and the other children. "But... where did you find the water to turn it into mud?" The girl pointed to one of the boys. "We used the water from Riko's canteen," she replied, at which point Thurion couldn't help but roll his eyes. Without saying a word he handed the switched canteens with the boy, leaving him with the empty one. "Let's try and save our water for when we need it, shall we?"

"Alright, little ones," he clapped his hands to gain their attention. "Everyone huddle 'round the sand castle!" Taking a seat in the warm sand alongside all the children, two of which claimed his lap for their own with a third climbing atop his shoulders, the Grandmaster looked up at the young boy. "You've got first watch, Weeb. Keep a weather eye on the horizon for us," he told him with a wink. "Now then, before we venture into the tombs, I wanted to tell you the story of Sith Lord Bhaal whose remains are said to rest here on Tash-Taral. This Dark Lord once acted as the right hand of the Sith Emperor of the time, which meant he was in charge of the Emperor's security. But as the Sith are prone to do, Bhaal betrayed his master and thought himself the new Emperor. He was met with resistance from the other Sith Lords, however, and soon the world was ravaged by civil war..."

 

[Kixi Rajki]

[member="George O Rourke"], [member="Elpsis Kallikora"], [member="Ryn'Dhal"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Objective: Save Survivors
5/20

Kixi agreed with her master. Someone had to take this man back to the ship, even though she would rather it had been him. But this was no time to argue and in the end he could've just made that an order. Using the Force Kixi levitated the injured man in the air and would take him back to her master's ship. Her own ship was only a two seated starfighter, whilst that of her master was an actual freighter with some facilities to attend to this man's injuries. Once she got there, she placed the man on a bed and further attended to his injuries. There was only so much she could do with the limited facilities, but it would be enough for until they got back to Voss.

Quickly she then hurried back to the wreckage. He master undoubtedly deeper insude the ruins by now. Kixi would easily catch up, yet she wondered if he had yet found the source of where the sound was coming from. Using telepathy rather than comms, to avoid interference with anyone else trying to get through, she called out to George.

"I'm on my way back, not far from you, have you located the source of that signal yet?"

 

[Darth Libertas]

Objective: Investigate old Sith tomb
(6)


All those fancy stories about exploring ancient tombs and discovering long-forgotten treasures tended to be tremendously uninformative about the hazards the would-be tomb raider faced. Such as getting the crap beaten out of you, being stabbed or suffering broken bones. If you have never experienced that, please make every effort not to. It hurts!


Fething Klaxxi. It just had to be them. It boggled the mind how they had found their way to Tash-Taral. Perhaps her dear friend or a Sith had imported them, perhaps their reached extended further than the Atrisian Empire has thought. Either way, they were angry and hungry.


The scent of blood had filled the air, hers intermingled with the ichor of the Klaxxi. With muscles torn, her right arm hung limply at her side, feeling quite useless. Finally, she managed to pull herself together, leaning heavily against the wall. However, there was no respite as she felt the dark presences converging upon her just as she wanted to pull out of the hall. Even if she'd drawn upon her power to turn invisible, they would have still been able to track her due due to the smell of her blood. Her eyes narrowed as another Klaxxi manifested outside of the shadows, poised to pounce upon and devour her. < Food! >


Little did the beast know just how pissed off the Atrisian was by now. She was in a good deal of pain, in a foul mood and felt a strong desire to crush the damn creature before it could stab her as well. The dark energies emanating from the sword heightened her aggression and fuelled her rage as she drew upon her power to bring a massive telekinetic hand upon the monster to crush it like an insect.


Loud screeches were heard as the invisible power battered the creature, though it was not quite dead, but gravely weakened as mere impact broke bones and messed up internal organs, blood pooling out of wounds where the exoskeleton had been damaged. But there was no time for rejoicing when another Klaxxi struck her across the chest, sending her flying towards a wall with great force. Luckily, she managed to brace her legs and push off the wall rather than hitting it. But even with the Force, crashing into the ground rather hurt! Her pistol had been tossed somewhere into the hall and she did not have the time to look for it.


As a Klaxxi charged her, Souldrinker was suddenly pulled into the air by an invisible force and met the onslaught of limbs, parrying them and slashing at the beast in turn as it was wielded by the telekinetic power. With her shoulder a mess, Sumiko was little good at wielding the blade in her physical hand, but telekinesis did just fine. Along with it, all manners of debris peppered the Klaxxi as they were propelled through a telekinetic wave. But even so it was a strain on her and her body ached. As she cartwheeled and tried to establish some distance, she pulled at the tangled web of power. A net of deceit and lies would be spun as she sought to project her will into the minds of the giant spiders, for though capable of cloaking and telepathy, they were weak Force-users.


Sweat dripped down her face and back as she exerted herself. Her telekinetic grip on the sword weakened in the process and it clattered to the ground after severing the limb of a spider. As the beasts were about to pounce, their perception of reality suddenly shifted and they screeched loudly. In the minds of the Klaxxi, captured as they were inside her web the ceiling was suddenly torn asunder and caved in upon them. All in all, this was fairly plausible because the building was ancient and unstable. Moreover, their opponent wielded the power of the Force. Screeching in terror as illusionary rubble crashed down upon them, the spiders would turn to flight.


Too late, though. In their imagination, the roof was brought down upon them and they were buried in rubble. Bodies were broken, blood and innards splattered everywhere. As far as they knew, their broken limbs would fail them and they were moving towards death's gate. All of this, of course, was not real, but it felt like that.


Sumiko breathed in deeply as she slumped on the ground. There was a sharp pain in her chest and she wheezed, coughing up some blood. Actually, she was more like panting. At long last she managed to pull herself upright with the help of her good arm, leaving the Klaxxi trapped in their dream as they squalled most horrifically beneath the heavy stone. Movement drew a cry of pain from her when she glanced over at her now rather messed up right arm. Her shoulder had nearly been torn from her body by the Klaxxi at the start of the fight and all the subsequent action had probably not helped either. However, danger might still be present, she could not stay here. First the beasts had to be taken care of before the spell was broken.


Limping towards the two Klaxxi, guided Souldrinker with her telekinetic will to run through each of their mouths, ending them. Staggering, she limped away to find some place where she could patch herself up. Limping painfully through the wrecked corridor, she finally found a spot where she could rest and sat down on a fallen pillar, before rummaging in her backpack for a medkit.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

(3/20)
Objective: 6
Location: Outside crashed cruiser.

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"] | [member="Elpsis Kallikora"] | [member="George O Rourke"] | [member="Kixi Rajki"]

The beast sensed that another, familiar, presence had entered the ship, shortly before it escaped, with the two women in close pursuit. The beast growled low, frustrated. The dueling duality of the beasts mind fought over it's next course of action. Anyone watching it atop the dune would wonder if it had something in it's ears it was trying to shake loose, it's head bobbling left, then right, then left again.

What could only be described as a grimace cut across the beasts maw, before it began drawing in a large lung-full of air. The roar that followed was loud. Impossibly loud. And from it's elevation, with nearly nothing by dunes for miles, the bellow could easily be heard up to a mile in any one direction. The roar, in such volume and strength, it would not have been unreasonable for the two women just outside the ship to feel the reverberations of the sound within their beings. That, though, was not even the most unnerving part of the roar.

The roar, sounded almost like....

"RUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!"

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

(7)
Location: Crashed cruiser
[member="Abaigeal E'ron"], [member="Ryn'Dhal"], [member="George O Rourke"], [member="Tempest"], [member="Kixi Rajki"]


There was no time to think about the strange, massive black cat since they really needed to get off the ship. Another explosion made the wrecked cruiser tremble and shake, and all the vile black smoke in the air was not helping matters either. The breath mask had been punctured and was too big anyway, so Elpsis suffered a coughing fit.


"Yeah," at this moment she received Tempest's call. "On the ship, it's about to blow!" Aba had said something about others being on the ship and that they had to warn them. That was the noble and chivalrous thing to do, but Elpsis was too concerned for herself to linger. "Get your arses off the ship if you don't want to get blown up!"


Not tactful at all, but hey, maybe they'd hear her. Gripping Aba's hand tightly she ran through the opening and towards the blaring sunlight. The sun kissed her skin with its tremendous heat and blinded her eyes, but she ran nonetheless. The large cat roared, but even the noise caused by this was soon blotted out when the ship exploded in a titanic eruption. Pieces of the ship rained down upon the desert while the bridge sunk further deep into the sand. A massive fireball erupted from the detonation, with orange clouds of flame billowing up into the sky, along with plumes of smoke, sand and dust. The sky above them would be red with fire, smoke would clog the air.


Such was the force and volatility of the shockwaves unleashed when the cruiser was blown apart, that Aba and Elpsis would be gripped by it and brutally propelled across the dunes and over the large cat's head! Presumably landing upon the sand dunes would be very unpleasant for them, but it was sure better than getting blown to bits.

Boom. Well, presumably the explosion was not that bad, but you get the picture. Hopefully any Jedi on it had managed to get off before the thing blew up.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Kixi Rajki"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Elpsis Kallikora"] [member="Abaigeal E'ron"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

Objective 1
3/20
As Tempest moved swiftly up the last sand dune she heard a terrifying roar, followed swiftly by the detonation of crashed ship.
Swiftly, Tempest moved forward, sliding own the dune.
“Elpsis! Do you copy? Elpsis?!” she called into the communicator.
A sense in the Force brought her close to the wreck though to find the two on the dune, injuries undetermined.
“Elpsis! Dammit, are you OK? Speak to me!” she cried in alarm, turning the redhead over. “Medic! Over here, help them!”

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
4/20
As Sumiko finally rested, wounded, on the broken pillar, the blade beside her stood upright on its own point.

“Ah yes, pain. Something I fortunately need no longer endure. Yours is so invigorating though, more so than those creatures. I taste their blood, I see their minds, their plans, their hive. Your Jedi friends will soon have much to do with them.”

The blade levitated itself into the air, turning slightly as if viewing its surrounds.
“If you die, at least deposit me somewhere that someone will find me,” it commented wryly.

 

[Kixi Rajki]

[member="George O Rourke"], [member="Elpsis Kallikora"], [member="Ryn'Dhal"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Objective: Get off the ship
6/20

As Kixi caught up with her master who was still trying to locate the source of the distress call, Kixi sensed something even more disturbing. She herself being a starship captain unmistakably was certain of what she had sensed. The ship, it's gonna explode and we're in it!. As the words passed through her head, she yelled out to him frantically as she bolted towards him.

"Master! Master! We gotta get out of here now! The ship, it's gonna blow! I'm certain of it."

She didn't even allow him time to respond as she grabbed his arm and pushed him to start running back in the direction they had come from. By now Kixi and surely her master could feel the massive build up of energy from within the ship and the pending chain reaction. The two ran with the assistance of the Force back in the direction they had come from.

"I can hear a rupture somewhere and.... Oh no there's a ball of fire heading our way. This is gonna be mighty close!"

The two made it out the exit and bolted across the desert all in a nick of time. Fragments flew everywhere with the Force of the explosion sending the two in the air. Kixi had her body shield on which took most of the impact, she had also jumped on her master's back in an attempt to shield him too, but his body frame was a lot bigger than hers, so she was unsure just how effective that would have been in the end, as the two hit the desert ground hard several metres away from where the force of the explosion had sent them hurling. Kixi rolled on her own away from her master. Her shield flicked several times before totally failing. Yet she was mostly okay as she got back up. There was dust everywhere. Visibility was poor.

"Master! Master! Where are you?"

Kixi yelled out frantically as she couldn't see anything with all the dust everywhere. She finally located him using the Force and ran over to him.

"Master are you hurt?"

 

[George O Rourke]

[member="Kixi Rajki"] | [member="Tempest"] | [member="Elpsis Kallikora"] | [member="Ryn'Dhal"] | [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

As George sent Kixi back with the injured man George continued through the ship. He was lost. But he wouldn't ever admit it. He walked aimlessly, with no navigation, hoping to bump into someone. In the end he walked in circles, unbeknown to him. However the longer he walked the more he heard, faint but he could hear it. Small blasts could be heard all around before a loud roar came from outside. What in the force is that? He thought as the ship rocked and tumbled via the vibrations. Another partial coms message was heard, but it made little sense.

As Kixi returned she had sent him a message through the force, "No I haven't found anything yet, but the ship seems unstable. There are explosions all around." He replied telepathically. Moments later Kixi was with him, her face was pale and shocked. She looked and as the words poured out of her mouth she grabbed George's arm and sped back to he entrance. Apparently the ship was going to explode, well there was no arguments from George on that one.

As the sprinted back to the entrance Kixi looked behind to see a fireball chasing after them. They were no match for the fireball as it blew them out of the ship. But not before Kixi engaged her body shield, she stood in front of George shielding him from them blast. She was considerably smaller than him, but managed to cover the vital organs in his chest and head leaving only his arms and legs to be hurt by the blast.

As the blast shop him out of the ship he landed with a thud. "Owchh." He groaned as he rolled over from his chest to his back to see the damage of the blast. The bottom of his robes was charred and burnt. He had severe burns to both his arms and legs which stung as hey lay there. Soon after he could hear Kixi calling him. "I am here Padawan." He called out as he continued to lay in pain on the ground. The rescue mission had taken a different turn. Now it was him that needed rescuing.

Shortly Kixi arrived at George's location. It wasn't an easy place to find through all the dust, but she made it. George was weak. In fighting the stinging and burning on his extremities it took a lot of his strength.

 

[Kixi Rajki]

[member="George O Rourke"], [member="Elpsis Kallikora"], [member="Ryn'Dhal"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Objective: Rescue George
7/20

"Oh Frak!"

Kixi would instinctively yell out aloud as she saw the state her master was in.

"I am unhurt Master, however you don't look like you have fared all that well. Looks like I was protected from my body shield and then when I put my body in front of yours, that I was able to protect your vital organs. Thank the Force for that. What would I do without you if you were to die!"

Kixi then levitated her master and brought him onto his own ship. She put him on a bed along side the other man she had already rescued who was now conscious.

"I guess you have someone to chat to for a bit Master while I get us the hell out of here."

Kixi grinned and winked at her master as she made for the cockpit. She remotely started her own smaller starfigher that was parked alongside George's larger vessel. As they rose in the air, she slaved it to George's ship so that way she could fly his ship and not have to leave hers behind. Then she would attend to her master's injuries whilst on their return trip to Voss.

 

[Nagate Hei]

Objective 2: Investigate Tombs
[member="Sumiko Tanaka"] [member="Leina Snowfire"] [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]


Nagate had joined a group of SSC explorers, being he was part of the Expedition team, it seemed fitting that his first outing in a long while was just that. Another shuttle landed nearby with Grandmaster Heavenshield and a group of younglings who may have been too much energy for the leader to handle. Nagate laughed to himself.

Nagate wore his explorers armor and his mask. The sand would play havoc with his skin if not careful. Nagate approached Master Heavenshield and bowed.

"Hello master, got your hands full do you?" He jested. He shifted a backpack full of equipment for the trip.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

QO'SAARAI TUK'ATA VILLAGE

Among the towns and enclaves of Tash-Taral, one was noted for oddness and commensurate secrecy. It stood on lands thick with tuk'ata, of all degrees of sentience. Some of them, due to a massive program of surgery and alchemy, had thumbs. And spent more time bipedal, their hips altered. And knew Basic, not just Kissai. What their opinion of a Merrill might be was anyone's guess, so Jorus had kept his identity quiet, right up until now.

The village matriarch, much larger than Jorus, gripped his wrist and sniffed it. "You were right, Erek'al," she said to the scout who'd brought Jorus in, though no previous conversation had been made. The qo'saarai didn't wholly rely on speech. "You were right," she said again, peering down at Jorus and letting his hand fall. "Not in the blood, but in the soul. He is of the Maker's creche. Speak, human."

"Well, you're right. Rave Merrill was my sister."

A hoarse chuckle. "Were you fooled, then? For all these years?" A huge canine head loomed down at him, and he stepped back. "Scion of Merrill, she lives."