And We're Off!

[Ibby]

Location: Bankor Ultiamata, Soceras -- spaceport

I stepped off the platform of the shuttle, gripping my bags as I began to scurry towards the main lobby of the space port. To say I was excited would have been an understatement: This was the first time I'd been anywhere off planet, and it showed.

"Come on, Ox, we gotta get to the lobby! The GUIDE said that's where we'll meet our pilot!" The droid in question, Oxalate (actually his ID was C-2O4, but...well, that was about the only thing I had remembered from our science classes) made a rather impatient noise.

"Master Otis, my rotators were not designed for heightened speed. I highly suggest you slow down, or else we will become separated."

I readjusted my glasses. "Ox, you're no fun, you know that?" My focus then was applied to getting a better grip on my things. But with my attention elsewhere, I didn't realise I was about to run into someone until too late.

My stuff went flying -- my datapad, data chips, flimsipads, styluses, etc. -- and scattered on the floor. "Quick, Ox! Before they trample it!" I dropped to my knees, paying no mind to the individual. I was more focused on my valuable things!

[member="Isaiah Dashiell"]

 

[Isaiah Dashiell]

The Weequay grunted and turned around, his six long braids swinging behind him. This man was a seasoned bounty hunter and the council of Bankor Ultimata was not making him a happy camper. In fact, he was just looking a reason to put his fist into someone's face. Along comes Milo. One track mind, green behind the ears...Wimpy looking. The man's lips curled into a snarl, eyes fierce he growled,

"Not even apology from your scrawny flesh bag?" He craned his neck to the left and then to the right, two loud pops followed. He rolled his shoulders and prepared for what would be the beating of a lifetime for this off-worlder nerf herder. "I don't even feel bad about this."

"Woah, woah, woah! Calm down my friend! Calm. Down." Just in time, Izzy, wearing a rather unique set of armor stepped between the two, accidentally crushing a Data Chip of Milo's beneath his boot. "It was just an accident, no need to get violent!" Just to be sure his charge was paying attention he twisted his foot over the crushed data chip of which he had zero clue was about.
[member="Milo Otis"]

 

[Ibby]

[member="Isaiah Dashiell"]

I continued to scramble around on my knees, thankfully gathering most of my supplies into one neat pile before...

"Not even apology from your scrawny flesh bag? I don't even feel bad about this."

The blood drained from my face. Turning around slowly, I adjusted my glasses with a shaky hand. "I-- I-- S-sorr-sorry--"

I squeezed my eyes shut, just waiting for the pummeling that was to be had from this peculiar and very scary alien, when another, even more horrifying noise assaulted my ears:

The crunch of a datachip beneath someone's heel.

Biting back a wail, I once again opened my eyes to behold an individual dressed in an unfamiliar suit of armour. Who was also in the act of crushing my datachip!

Of course, the fact that this stranger was also in the process of saving my face didn't escape me, so with an agonized look I held back my anguish.

 

[Harli Hayes]

Harli watched the entire scene unfold a short distance from where she stood. The man who appeared to be a scholar of some sort was the first thing to get her attention as he came running across the platform, and straight into a very unhappy looking Weequay. She let out a sigh at the sight of data pads and an assortment of other information baring devices scattered across the floor. Harli knew exactly what was going to happen next. Adjusting the duffle bag on her shoulder, she made a move to step between the two. She barely made it a few feet before someone else had made the same decision. Harli stopped and watched the newcomer attempt to defuse the situation. Over the sound of the man's wods, she heard the sound of a datachip crunch beneath someone's foot, much to the scholars almost tangible dismay.

[member="Milo Otis"]

 

[Isaiah Dashiell]

The large Weequay huffed, shifting the sack of weapons and gear on his shoulder. Izzy could feel the anger welling up in the mercenary, coming to a boiling point. He took a step forward to challenge the newcomer, but his head jerked backward and he stumbled a few steps away. To Isaiah's relief as someone he assumed was the weequay's partner, a white maned Iridonian woman, had stopped the confrontation, whispering something in his ear. The Weequay grimaced and stood, attempting to regain some sort of dignity.

"You're lucky today, Whelp."

With a heavy sigh, Izzy's arms fell.

"By the Stars that was close," he said as he clicked the helmet release and pulled off his helmet, letting his hair fall around his shoulders. "Milo right? I'm with GUIDE. You contacted us about an expedition on this planet?"

[member="Harli Hayes"] [member="Milo Otis"]

 

[Ibby]

[member="Harli Hayes"] [member="Isaiah Dashiell"]

I waited until the Weequay was out of sight before letting the words tumble out of my mouth. "Milo, yes, I wanted to do a more thorough investigation of the culture here on Soceras but by the gods You crushed my datachip! I mean yes I'm grateful for you saving me but You crushed it!"

Quickly, I scanned through my things again, making note of what everything was. Every datachip was designated for certain planets and technology advancements, among other things. But a few were also miscellaneous...

"Oh no!" I wailed, shoving pitifully at my guide's foot. "You smashed the one with Auntie Nera's green bean and cabbage casserole...!" Auntie Nera made a delicious casserole, something which few others shared the same opinion of. Not that I cared -- it meant more food for me! And Auntie Nera was very selective about who she gave her recipe to; for her to give it to me, in case I missed home, was a big deal.

And now this armoured oaf had ruined it.

Out of the corner of eye, I caught a glimpse of a rather curious-looking girl with white hair and...pointy ears? No matter. I was still concerned with my datachip. What a great way to start off the day!

Ox, meanwhile, had finally caught up in time to hear my lament, having missed all of the other excitement. "Master Otis, I hope you realise all prior data was uploaded to the Holonet as well as my own depository? That means your continued tantrum is unnecessary."

"Hey! I'm not throwing a tantrum!" I immediately stopped pushing on the man's feet and, haphazardly shoving everything back into my bag, scrambled up. "Um, er, Otis. Milo Otis. That-- That's my name. But you already knew that. From GUIDE. Right. Er. Hi." I shoved a hand out. "Sorry. Um. Thanks for saving me from..." I had no idea what that alien was called. "That thing. Person. Alien. You're Mr. Dashiell, right?"

 

[Isaiah Dashiell]

"Huh?" He hadn't even noticed that he had stepped on the data chip before. Looking curiously down at his boot he lifted his foot, only for a few small bits to fall from the sole. Woops. Luckily it was just a recipe for some green been and cabbage casserole. Sounded disgusting to him, but to each his own he guessed. "Sorry about that." A lie. It was a recipe. For vegetable matter crap. Who cared?

The scene before him was rather comical, but also annoying. If this sort of behavior was what he had to look forward to? Well this was going to be a long trip. The rather quirky droid behind him was his saving grace. Apparently whatever recipe he had crushed haphazardly was already uploaded somewhere else. Thank the stars. He wouldn't have ever heard the end of it he felt.

An armored hand reached out to give the small man a good shake. Izzy wasn't that large himself but he felt like a brute in comparison, despite Milo's obvious height advantage, a good two inches taller than Izzy. Looking up into those goofy glasses Isaiah smiled his wolfish grin,

"Yeah, Isaiah Dashiell, you can call me Izzy though too. I'll respond to either." Had he never even heard of the Weequay? Where did this man live? Under a rock? He decided to have a little fun with him, "That there was a Weequay. They're mostly harmless...Unless of course you touch their hair. Its actually its own parasitic organism and will digest you in hours," he lied. "So don't get too close to 'em. They're crafty ones...those Weequay." He could barely hold the fib inside. This was probably the worst lie he had ever told in his life.

And he told a lot of lies.

[member="Milo Otis"] [member="Harli Hayes"]

 

[Harli Hayes]

Harli shook her head as she watched the weequay get drug away by the Iridonian. She causally made her way over to the pair, coming up from behind Milo. As she got closer she heard the lie Isaiah was telling, rolling her eyes, she stopped behind Milo. The lie itself was bad, but....then again maybe she couldn't help herself this time. She got within a couple of feet from the poor soul and spoke in an almost serious tone. "It's not the digestion that's the worst part, it's the poison. Very painful and long lasting, leaves you completely paralyzed. The barbs have quite the range to."

[member="Milo Otis"] [member="Isaiah Dashiell"]

 

[Ibby]

[member="Isaiah Dashiell"] [member="Harli Hayes"]

"Barbs? Parasite? What?" I looked back and forth between Izzy and the newcomer. My brow furrowed in perplexity. "But...that doesn't make sense..."

I readjusted my glasses, then explained. "How would it be able to digest me if it's so small? The hair, I mean. And wouldn't that be awkward for the, uh..Weekay? Whiquay? To have to bend over backwards and let his parasite eat someone. Or do the hair strands lengthen upon injuring prey with the barbs?" My tone went from confused to grossed out to morbidly curious in the short span it took me to say those words.

"And how does the poison affect people? Does it affect the Wickeys themselves? Is it apparent in both males and females? Was that specimen a male or female? Are they always like that?" I could feel myself getting excited. "Where do the Wickeys live? We'll have to go there next!" Inside my head, I wondered whether the parasite hair could have resulted in a sort of barbaric or warfaring culture. Clearly they'd mastered space travel, if one of them was present here. Did they have a hegemony? A meritocracy? Or were they simply an advanced form of tribal warfare?

I hoped my guide and this newcomer could provide the answers. Speaking of, I turned to face the white-haired girl, sticking out my hand (which still throbbed a bit from Izzy's handshake). "Milo Otis, by the way. Nice to meet you."

 

[Harli Hayes]

Harli found it hard to not start laughing out loud at the man's comments. Instead she gave a mischievous grin, flashing her sharp canines as she did. Sure she felt bad, but she'd probably tell him the truth. ..eventually. she grasped the man's hands in a firm grip. "Harli Hayes. Like wise." She glanced between the pair then back at Milo. "So, what brings you way out here? You're definitely not used to this sort of thing."

[member="Milo Otis"]

 

[Isaiah Dashiell]

"We're messing with you Milo," he laughed. "Isaiah Dashiell, but people back home just call me Izzy. We're out here to 'explore and document' the culture of this place." He shrugged. It wasn't all that exciting really. He had been here for a few hours and could see that the city was a breeding ground for zealots and other extremists.

Spoiler

Sorry for the late and short post

[member="Harli Hayes"] [member="Milo Otis"]