Public Depths of the Ancients ATTN: Forerunners

[Peyton Steele]

The change in the galaxy created a few shifts. New technology was arising, and there were murmurs of ancients coming out from a long hibernation, if it was that. The infobrokers of the galaxy were hearing the whispers, not so much of what was around, but who wasn't allowed. There seemed to be a lack of information, but the words that were coming out of some of these locations were ancient species, things that most didn't even believe were real.

Kwa.

Rakata.

Sharuka.

Killiks.

They were the ancients. The ones that showed up before many of the current species were around. And for that reason, a team was being dispatched. The goal was to learn, and catalog what was being brought out of the ancient closets. For Peyton Steele, it was a matter of learning what these species were looking for, what they wanted from the galaxy, and what they could deliver.

If the rumors were true, there was a lot of technology to be taken, and perhaps, if it was placed in the right hands? It could be useful.

As part of the team from the Underground, Rimward Trade League, Ossus Initiative, and basically any of the fringers in the galaxy, the goals were very simple.

• Learn who the Forerunners were.
• Learn what the Forerunners wanted.
• Steal as much of their useful tech to get it into the right hands as possible.

A fleet of several smaller attack shuttles was called in, while a microjump away were larger vessels, late model Mobquet transports were awaiting calls. They were under the protection of a pair of odd-ball frigates, more for the peace of mind of some of the pilots on the transports, and just in case any high profile faces could be pulled out.


Stepping from her shuttle, the dry air hit her skin and she shook her head. Her bodysuit was designed to help keep her moisture in, as she was part Brubreen. What data was provided for Rafa V was that there were Sharu here, and it was a world that many of the Forerunners may be calling. The target was an ancient temple that seemed to be up and running, growing in life, and growing in technology. The blonde shook her head and tapped her comms "Cuan, keep her nearby. The rest of you, there is an entrance in the northwest corner of the compound, appears to be air vents. South side of the compound is the aqueduct. Goals are simple, get in, see what we can learn, get out. And if you have sticky fingers, I don't think anyone is going to be lacking for a payday!"

She pulled the hood up of the water retentive material and made her way South, a few coming with her.

The team's briefing would have been spotty at best, what species there could be, focusing on the Sharu, and what ancient tech that seemed to be related to other species, including war droids. Now would be the best time for someone like Yula to be around.

 

[Shath Kharole]

SOUTH SIDE OF THE SHARU TEMPLE COMPOUND
Peyton Steele

A small prefab work pod hunkered down under the aqueduct. This was the unglamorous side of Awakener work: ensuring water flow and quality, routing it to the hydroponics and higher-tech efforts that would restore the area's pre-human ecosystem. Though Shath wasn't a scientist, he had the training to assist the science team who technically answered to him.

"Awakener," said a Sharukan envirotech in a tone that cut Shath's attention away from his rack of water samples. The big Thrella got up and moved to the work pod's window. Various shuttles were coming in low, apparently aiming to land a ways off.

Shath put on his jacket and headed outside, down into the uncomfortably dry air of Rafa V. He carried no weapon, just a water bottle. He walked up to the shuttles without hurry or hesitation.

"This is what you humans would call private property," he called to the nearest new arrival, a female human or near-human in a bodysuit. He sipped from the water bottle. "Can I help you find an exit?"

 

[Peyton Steele]

Her ship, the Starbird, really creative name, but she had a few things she stood for, and the most of that was a cause, a cause she wasn't sure was useful any more. The Starbird represented the Alliance, but for her, it was the Sullustan one. The one based on Coruscant, that seemed to be too bogged down in politics and its own message. What she was, was someone who focused on the mission. She joined the Coalition and Outer Rim before making her way to the Scar Worlds.

And if there was more technology out there, more beings that she didn't know? She was going to do her research and see what was valuable. When the time was up, she'd call in Cuan, and set some beacons, and be out of here. She wasn't here for war, but did have her extendable stun batons strapped to her belt.

What she hoped for was that she could get a moment for her camera droid to jump away and take some photos. She whispered a small command to her droid before turning, hearing the voice coming out. Turning, she muttered a greeting in a Mon Cala dialct, reflecting her aquatic heritage, but it wouldn't be beyond the new being's ability to recognize she knew Basic.

"Exit?" She muttered, looking around. "Just setting down, part of a team of surveyors." A lie, but she did have camera droids.

"We have gear, but... deliveries for the locals." She motioned behind herself, to a few of the Underground had several crates, one plated in aurodium. She tried her best to offer a welcome smile.

Shath Kharole Dooc Beybey

 

[Dooc Beybey]

Dooc awoke with a sudden thud. The crate he had... snuck into... fell into... was put... feth it he really didn't know how he got there. Really he never did know how he traveled place to place. He wasn't a believe in the Force, but luck, he was a furball that fortune must have lost a bet too.

Needing to stretch he kicked at what he thought was the top of whatever he was in but the thing didn't open he began to panic and kick, a second time, then a third. Soon he was in full panic, kicking and screaming at the top of his lungs.

As the box jump and flopped around he wondered of anyone was out there to hear his cries.

 

[Shath Kharole]

Peyton Steele Dooc Beybey

Solemnly, Shath took in the sight of the gyrating crate. In due course he refocused on Peyton.

"Surveyors," he said flatly. "Or was it delivery?"

HIs gaze lingered on the ships they'd brought.

"Delivering

attack shuttles

I'd imagine? If you're here to bring these fine human ships to the Sharu, I'm sure they'll be out momentarily to take the delivery. Or I could, on their behalf, if it might save you some time. I'm sure you're anxious to begin surveying."

 

[Lawq Vasrell]

Peyton Steele Shath Kharole Dooc Beybey The harsh cry of blasterfire echoed thrice from the trees just beyond the clearing, and what was probably one of the strangest creatures the small gathering of misfits had yet encountered came swooping from the direction of the tree - even the Ewok would have thought this being just plain weird.

Standing at a little over four feet tall, the creature swooped a short distance, gray-furred, leather membranes extending along its underarms and attached at the ribcage, flared in the sky as the being leapt down from a large tree, a long, pointed, brown-furred tail serving to steer the creature as it came to a dramatic landing, tucking its legs and rolling. Shooting up from the roll into a stiff-legged stance and running backwards on bare, clawed feet, the creature fired off a final violet blaster bolt into the trees, as though it - she - were being pursued, one long-fingered hand holding the wide-brimmed hat on her head into place.

The creature with membraned arms came to a stop before the fish-creature, even if she hadn't yet focused on what the being was properly, her gaze still locked on the trees. The creature breathed heavily and airily through panting, frightened lungs, her form revealed to be feminine only due to the form-fitting clothing that accentuated her athletic, if scrawny, flat and overall boyish curves. The chiropteran alien was covered in dark brown fur, with black fur, velvet-looking, exposed along her stomach beneath a worn purple vest that adorned her flat torso, covered in pockets,and sporting a vibrodagger hanging from one side in a black scabbard.

"Never... Should have... Come alone..."

The creature still hadn't focused on the other sentients, despite knowing they were there. Her ankle-length, pointed and rounded tail swayed to and fro, her odd triangular, pointed (and one notched) ears swiveling around to the side of a scalp of short, unkempt fiery-red hair beneath the wide-brimmed gunslinger's hat she wore. The creature's tail twitched in an agitated manner as, lowering her pistol into its holster on her one aide, the tip still smoking, the creature turned her gaze towards the fish-man and the humanoid, her right eye soft and sapphiric, and the left dull, white and sightless. The lithe Qom Jha shuddered, hugging her membraned arms around herself as she inclined her head towards the temple, even as a small lie burst forth from her lips...

"I'm... Lost - a scout... And I think this place is haunted over towards... The temple..."

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

A very large hammerheaded being shambled out of the prefab pod to loom behind Shath Kharole.

“Delivery?”

The Flesh Raider’s eyes squinted on opposite ends of his face at Peyton Steele.

“Food?”

His stomach gurgled loudly and he rested a massive hand on it while continuing to eye the juicy human.

Then blasterfire sounded nearby.

 

[Peyton Steele]

She really was out of sorts. A mission like this, only mildly sanctioned, was not something she was used to doing. Additionally, why would they send an aquatic to a world like this? No, this was more a job where she organized a few people from the Underground, the Resistance of the Scar Worlds, and went on a fact finding mission. She was cussing at herself in her head, but looked back to the being… She hoped that someone else had gotten their recording devices up.

"Shuttles are ours. The galaxy is a rough place… Pirates and the like." She was trying to not stutter, but kept her tone even, and her pacing slow, almost as if she was formulating the words as she spoke. "Our bosses are aware that there are locals on most worlds, and just because our records are incomplete doesn't mean someone else's isn't. A show of good faith is in the delivery. The ships will not be used unless to defend ourselves."

Nodding. "I can wait for the deliveries to be taken in, we were hoping to set up a minor camp to store equipment and data collection?" The Brubreen had seen several species, but never anything like that… Kriff, what did they do to Karkarodon? Her features gave the impression that she hadn't seen anything like that before but her features were showing a conflict where she really wanted to ask, but was being too polite.

"Food? No. Food." She pointed to the aurodium.

When the blaster fire went off she threw her hands over her head and cowered, cussing out in Mon Cala. Maybe this could play into her hands. But what about that other life, the stowaway. Someone dropped an Ewok on her mission and she wanted to know how much air was in that box.



Shath Kharole

Dooc Beybey

Tydeus of Tion

Lawq Vasrell

 

[Shath Kharole]

On balance, never trust a human.

"Pull your camp back," Shath told Peyton flatly, just as Lawq Vasrell burst into view. The Qom Jha was clearly in a fighting retreat from some threat or other.

But the ancient temple certainly wasn't haunted. It was ground zero for an effort to revitalize Rafa Five's worn-down ecosystem. Large question marks demanded clarification.

" @Shogg," he said over his shoulder, "go find and eat what's chasing, whatever the kid's shooting at. Find it, eat it."

He found his eyes drawn back to the vibrating crate that contained Dooc Beybey . What was in there? Shath felt confusion and anger and disorientation. At a sapient level.

His attention zeroed in on Peyton Steele

"Are you shipping slaves, human?" he said very, very quietly.

 

[Telok'k]

<"Grey pentachorons!">

Another strange alien creature shambled out on a pair of writhing tentacles. Its face was expressionless by humanoid standards but from the way it narrowed its eyes at Peyton Steele and the vocabulator's tenor this one was also upset by the strangers.

<"Continued white vertex can only descend into blue nonagon!"> Telok'k tugged at Shath Kharole with one of its manipulators, <"Yellow shift!">

It paused. Clearly the creature seemed frustrated with limitations inherent to a language-form like Basic. These humanoids lacked any experience of the higher dimensions. At times Telok'k felt there was little difference between Tydeus of Tion and the others.

 

[Lawq Vasrell]

Peyton Steele Dooc Beybey Shath Kharole Tydeus of Tion Telok'k

Practically in time with the brisk jog the Qom Jha was making towards her fellow tomb-raiders (or privately-funded scouts or whatever else they may have been), yet another odd creature, composed of shifting, writhing tentacles emerged from the darkness and, oddly enough, manged to keep pace with her lithe form. Upon stopping, Lawq gave a brief look down at her four-toed foot (three forward, one backward) and contemplated kicking the absurd-looking monstrosity that had managed to run parallel to her - however, the odd-looking alien appeared more annoyed then anything at the presence of all the others.

In an effort to calm her own tension, the Qom Jha met the tentacle-alien with a sarcastic, left-sided smile, the right side of the corner of her mouth remaining in place. "I know getting a year older sucks in some cases, but I'm still sorry I ruined the surprise." She used a membraned arm to gesture towards the crowd of assembled aliens and the vibrating supply crate. Leaning against the box casually, she accidentally released the crate's seal, the mechanisms whirring as the crate opened over the trapped Ewok.

Lawq adjusted her wide-brimmed, possibly Duros-made hat (The ONE good thing that The Clone Wars gave us, what I watched of it, anyway - he was mildly cool), flexing the wing-bones along the underside of either arm and making the membranes shift in time with with each other, making a noise akin to flapping cloth before the creature hugged herself, her loose-fitting black breeches shushing, legging-to-legging as her arms and membranes obscured three-quarters of her torso once more. One of the alien's ears twitched and swiveled, even as she nodded at the tentacle alien, "Happy Life Day..."

The Qom Jha swallowed nervously as she caught sight of the larger, abberant-looking fish humainoid, doubtless of some predatory variety. Her tail twitching nervously, the lithe tomboy offered a gentle pat to the Ewok's head as it emerged, more to calm herself then anything else.

Her white lies continued, "Anyway... In all seriousness, I'm a privately-funded explorer - ship's a little ways back through those trees." A single clawed finger shifted towards the direction of the temple, to the western side. Her hands lowered, resting on her hips as her tail swayed behind her and a sky blue, pointed tongue emerged, moistening her lips, "I think something was in that temple, and it wasn't an organic, whatever it was..."

She flashed her pointed, yellowed teeth at Tydeus of Tion and Telok'k , respectively, even as her gaze returned to the humanoid and the other fish as she affectionately gave the Ewok a noogie. "Now, together, we stand a chance and we can get in there safely and do some exploring... You guys up for it?..." One hand reached into her vest as the other held it open, pulling forth an unlit datapad as an even-wider, bright left-sided smile crossed the Qom Jha's face, her good eye alight and hopeful.

 

[Shath Kharole]

"No," said Shath coldly. " Tydeus of Tion smells nothing of whatever you pretended was chasing you, you can unhand the furry sapient, and the pyramid is occupied by my Sharu friends who are trying to rebuild from a genocide without interruptions by treasure hunters or..." His gaze shifted from Lawq Vasrell to Peyton Steele. "...whatever you really came here to do. The way is shut. You are not welcome."

He turned and headed back toward the water testing project nestled up against the south side of the pyramid. Shogg might try to eat them or might come along: Shath didn't care. Telok'k might come or stay: the Gree didn't answer to Shath and could keep his own counsel.

All that to say, Shath Kharole yearned to get back to work. He had a torched world to reawaken.

 

[Dooc Beybey]

The light of this world's day star burned into his eyes as the crate latch released and the door suddenly swung open. Popping his head out he didn't have time to focus his thoughts before he flet some one... petting him.

He was about to swing wildly at who ever had defiled his head until he saw who was doing it.

It was a lady? At least she sound like one, and that was good enough for him. Taking a few seconds smooth back his hair he took a relaxed but alluring posture. Reaching into the crate he pulled out an unopened bottle and smoothly popped the top.

Taking a foolishly sexy swig he crossed his legs and leaned again the side if the crate. Looking at Lawq Vasrell he winked and said "ark ee ot ata"

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

Shogg frowned. "I smell nothing?"

Then he nodded, looking directly at the plump little Ewok. "Nothing."

The Flesh Raider pointed a large finger at the furry bear, "Nothing smells good."

 

[Lawq Vasrell]

Peyton Steele Dooc Beybey Shath Kharole Tydeus of Tion Telok'k

The demure little tomboy folded her pointed, triangular chiropteran ears back along her fiery-haired scalp as she fixed the predatory-fish-humanoid with a disapproving glower, before turning her sight with a flattering, half-amused and half-meaningful smile as, with one of those ears flicking, the Qom Jha "awwwed" and lowered her head and boyish, flat little torso downwards, her muzzle stroking against the side of the teddy bear creature's face as they nuzzled fur-to-fur for a moment, "Who locked you up, Sweetie? Poor thing..."

Laughing softly in amusement at the bear-thing's antics at either foolish jesting or the beginning stages of lust on his part, one of Lawq's thin-fingered hands grasped one of the slightly shorter creature's stubby little hands, easily aiding the little horndog out of the crate from where he had been stuffed away in half-stumbling to the ground, the female's good eye, bright and deep blue, friendly enough towards the little bear-thing, though lacking in what very well may have been unadulterated desire in the little male's own eyes. A light pat on the little male's head followed as the Qom Jha offered a nervous smile up towards Tydeus of Tion , her ears folding back as her hands and gaze briefly went back to her datapad, even as her good eye lifted up to look into the monster's own.

"We need each other, for now... Best you not go eating anyone..."

Turning her narrowed eyes towards the smaller, less threatening fish, the chiropteran huffed through her nostrils, "I'm not lying... Something started to step pout of the shadows back there, in the entrance, and it started to go after me..." She snorted in annoyance, "Those last few shots just now were to scare the thing away, whatever it was, assuming it was still following me..."

 

[Peyton Steele]

She was not doing well. She needed to know what she was getting into, and with a species like this, one of the Ancients? Well, she probably wasn't going to do well even if she did know what was going on. The distraction from the Fruit Bat was one thing, it was giving her a chance to think more. But for now? She was going to listen to the one in front of her. Sharu temple… Good to know. "Genocide?" She was whispering that to herself, but it was something she should be thinking about.

They must have something good inside… But was she really going to steal from people who felt that they were recovering from a genocide? If it was tech that could be used to assist her people? Yes.

But the thing that was grabbing her attention was the… was that an Ewok? Who put an Ewok in her eqipoment? She looked at the others who had already backed themselves away. They were retreating at the first sign from the Sharu, but Peyton held close. She didn't care for this dry temperature and was tahnkful for the upgrades in suit technology to help keep her at least… humidified. But was that Ewok her responsibility?

No… he was… whatever. Was the damned thing flirting? "I don't know, they seem to be done with us. And I'd rather not anger the man who commands the fish." She flinched as she even said 'fish' as a derogatory term. "Sorry… Shogg." She looked at him. Turning though, she was going to have to find another way inside.