Fate Does Love to Throw Wrenches

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

Location: Ravelin, Bastion. Heart of the Primeval.

Oh, the noise. The terrible, horrible noise. It filled his ears and rattled his brain. It set his bristles on edge and, quite frankly, was one of the worst noises ever.

What was it?

It was the sound of a city. Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou immensely disliked cities. The noise, the people... It was enough to make an honest Blind One go mad. But perhaps here will be the place I find information on bringing back my beloved Blessed With A Big Heart, he thought, touching the two stones around his neck. He had travelled many places, but as of yet was still no closer than when he'd first left.

That didn't mean the alien wanted to be here. Still unused to the whole shuttle system, the Blind One had hoped to get off on a planet with jungles, or swamps. Even caves! But alas, the shuttle he'd stowed away on had come here, instead, and left him penniless and walking around in a distracted haze, the sounds of the city proving to be more than he could handle.

Hands clamped over his ears and his lips pulled up in a grimace, he paused and tried to find the quickest route away to the open.

 

[Boethiah]

Strangers are rare here on Bastion, though they do arrive from time-to-time.

In this case however; a group of soldiers loyal to the Host Lord had spotted the unusual miscreant whom stepped off one of the few shuttles authorized to land on the world. Such is reserved for traveling merchants under the guise of an Imperial-ran planet, to outsiders who knew better it was clear the imperious nature of Bastion was perverted from the historical path of such empires. There were no embassies or diplomats, and there was a sick and twisted musk which filled the brittle air.

"Come with us." An officer approached from behind several of the guards. Of course, if this one in particular were agile enough they may have a chance to run before the blasters start firing.

The other guards remained cautious and in position. The denizens continued their day-to-day lives as soldiers, priests, and slaves did their course as well.

For this was not the Bastion of old. It was a new Bastion and she who ruled it had incredible aspirations.

[member="Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou"]

 

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou could sense the beings coming up from behind him. Probing their minds, he sensed a...coldness which he had not ever felt before. A coldness which no Blind One had ever sensed before, but they all knew of, anyway. It was a coldness which had only been prescribed to one entity in the known history of his kind.

It had been prescribed to Ue-'Kuo-'Keueooeu-'Co-'C'c'ce, the nightmare of the Blind Ones.

He withdrew his hands from his ears, a shiver running down his spine. A sense of foreboding filled him -- these beings were not intent on being friendly, and the Blind One doubted he'd be able to escape a confrontation. Despite the amount of walking under his belt, land grace still did not come naturally to him, and his skin was already starting to dry up from the planet's lack of humidity. Already, he was feeling weaker than when he'd first arrived.

The One With Eyes, please protect me. The Great Leader, please grant me strength. Moving his hands out to the sides so that his fingertips were visible underneath his cloak, the alien slowly turned around. As he did so, he used his echolocation to get a picture of the beings who wished him harm. They were beings he had seen before, but that gave him little comfort. In their hands were strange devices, the likes of which were unknown to him but no doubt lethal.

Cautiously, Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou swung his head from side to side, trying to get a better image of where he was at, trying to see if he could escape. There were many other beings surrounding him, but... But they would offer no help, should he try to run. And he got the sense that these individuals would not hesitate to gun down anyone who got in their way. By the Undying Darkness, what have I done? he wondered. What did I do to deserve this?


His sweep done, the alien once again positioned his head forward before asking, his tone hesitant and his tongue stumbling over the unfamiliar words, "Huuuuuu......arrrrrrrrrrrr.........yuuuuuuuuu?"

 

[Boethiah]

The creature before the soldiers was no doubt foreign to this world... Let alone The Primeval it seems.

"One last chance, come with us..." The officer asked again, this time his tone was harsh. The other soldiers were unsure about this.

Strangers usually presented no threat but this person was stranger than strange. It was almost as if they didn't belong here yet there was an oddly familiar sensation; that enigmatic feeling gave an odd comfort. Their weapons raised into an attack position, regardless. Drawn to fire in-case this person tried something.

"Who are you?" One of them finally asked despite never being given permission to do so.

Others didn't speak up because they too wished to know, the Officer merely grunted; not letting himself be distracted.

[member="Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou"]

 

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

Perhaps his attempt at their tongue was not understandable? It wouldn't be surprising, given how many consonants these beings had. It reall detracted from the flow, the melody, of the words.

It didn't help that the Blind One had no idea what they were saying -- even less when they raised their objects again, the ones that were lethal. A shiver went down his spine, and he was certain he was about to collapse right there--

--When someone asked a question he recognized, one which he was asked many, many times. Almost too eagerly, the alien pronounced melodiously, "Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou."

But then, then the anxiety came back. Even with receiving a question to which he could readily reply, even giving his name willingly, it was undefeatable. There was fear in these individuals, a contagious fear which he was not immune to.

He did not like this fear, could not like this fear, so he did what his mother taught him: he sang a hymn. It was wordless, even in his language-- but it conveyed the emotions he wanted. It projected his feelings he wanted, of goodwill and peace, of an understanding to come between these two groups, of him and of them.

The song started slow and soft, barely indistinguishable from the other noises. Gradually, though, it began to swell up, growing in strength and emotion. Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou had been blessed with a lovely voice, and he hoped now it could be once again put to good use. My love, my love, is this what I should do? He wondered. Is this the right choice to make?

 

[Boethiah]

The guards; soldiers of The Primeval were initially distracted. Not that they were captivated by the strange hymn but it was to say the least a surprise. A surprise that did not last very long.

After being temporarily confused by what the being was attempting to convey, and feeling an odd calm in the air the Officer gave another order.

"Detain hi--or her, whatever it is!" His arm descended from the side of his head and straightened out at the elbow.

Without too much hesitation two of the guards cautiously approached the alien with their guns drawn but not brandished. They were careful not to let the person get the better of them but of course without knowing who or what they were it was hard to tell whether or not these cautions were appropriate or even at all effective. Still; the fact the creature was not running off right now did suggest that it knew the threatening sign of armoured soldiers and their weapons. How that would turn out remained to be seen.

Still approaching, one of the guards slowly took out a pair of cuffs stored on her utility belt. It was clear she wished to say something and whatever it was it didn't seem to be a threat or insult. An unusual level of passiveness flooded through their minds. Just not enough for them to back off. Orders were orders.

[member="Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou"]

 

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou sensed the change in mood of the beings, and his hopes grew. Perhaps his plan was working -- perhaps violence could be avoided.

The alien let his hymn taper out as the loud being from earlier barked something out. At the same time, two other beings walked forward. Even to an eyeless individual, it was clear that these two were wary of him, of this tall being who was undoubtedly the first of his kind to set foot here. Ue-'Kuo wanted to sooth them, let them know that he meant no harm...but feared that if he spoke now, they would be startled, and his song would have been for naught.

But then, one of the individuals withdrew something from its hip. Ue-'Kuo let out a confused little hum, his attention now directed at the being. Facing the being, the alien quickly obtained an image of what the object was, though he still failed to recognize it -- the only link he could make was with the binders occasionally used on Blind Ones who had strayed away from following the path of the Undying Darkness. Binders? But I have not done anything to result in the need to bind me!

He backed away a few steps, chittering in startlement before pointing at the being. "Whaattt....arrrrrrr...thohhhhhsee? 'Ku'cu-'coe-'cou-uoo'cu-uo-'ko?!"

 

[Boethiah]

The one with the cuffs was careful not to put herself in a situation where the alien could inflict harm. Of course without knowing exactly what they were it was difficult--nigh impossible--to tell what they were capable of. On that point it was no wonder the rest of the guards remained cautious with their weapons out; prepared for anything. Almost without a second's hesitation the female guard approached closely enough where she then attempted to curve around back behind the creature and forcefully place on the cuffs.

Her companion watched from only a meter or two away from the stranger and his gun was pointed outwards in a defensive manner. Their officer was unhappy with the whole situation, if this was anyone else they'd be cuffed and on their way right now. The commonly fearless Primeval were cautious and for what? It was the odd familiarity yet the utter difference that confused them so greatly. It was like they faced a mirror yet the reflection was not their own.

Suddenly the creature spoke when it was startled.

One of the guards, unhappier than most had enough. "Shut the hell up!" He shouted loudly enough for the entire street to hear, finger on the trigger of his assault rifle.

[member="Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou"]

 

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

Ue-'Kuo-'Koe'c'cu-Eou froze. One of the beings had yelled at him, and though the words were not understandable, the threat was there. As was the almost imperceptible movement of the being's digits.

If the alien had eyes, he would have closed them in despair. His home was far, fat away. His strength, waning with every passing minute. His arms, restrained not just by the cuffs but by a strong need to avoid violence. And worst of all? He was no closer to finding a way to bring his beloved back than Day One!

Well, fine, then. The Blind One's patience was growing thin. He had done nothing to warrant this behaviour, and these beings had already demonstrated their reluctance to negotiate.

Slowly, slowly, the tall alien sank to his knees. He had a plan, and it was one which he hoped would allow him to escape this dire predicament. Through his gills, already flared in an attempt to harness moisture, Ue-'Kuo drew in a deep breath. He filled his lungs to capacity, expanding, expanding, expanding until they could expand no more.

And then, he screamed.

It was a terrible, piercing scream. The sound tore through the air like a hot knife through butter, cracking glass and damaging any ears not protected. His herd used it to scare away predators and make their escapes. In the back of his mind, Ue-'Kuo felt remorse for the innocents who would have to suffer, but there was nothing he could do.

There was another thing which concerned him: the strength. Terrible as it was, the scream was not as strong as what a well-rested Blind One could manage; and the alien was far from being well-rested. But he hoped it would be enough.

It had to be enough. Had to.

 

[Boethiah]

The soldiers tried to collapse on top of the creature as they dropped to their knees but just as they reacted the sharp, horrid scream was released. The pressure managed to deafen those who had no helmets and those who did were still dazed. In reaction a few fired shots in the general direction of the being but only managed to miss or even hit their comrades. It was a joke -- that the squadron of soldiers got bested by one in that moment. Still; unless the creature could run off quickly enough the officer in-charge was already shouting orders to get them reorganized. Only seconds were given for the stranger to make a hasty retreat.

More troublesome for their unwanted guest was that one of the soldiers began requesting for backup from withing the entire garrison of Ravelin.

Where ever Anja was she had no idea what was going on but likely if it was becoming this troublesome she soon would.

[member="Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou"]

 

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

Ue-'Kuo couldn't believe it had worked. All around him he sensed the beings' pain, some more than others. As shots rang out, he sat in dazed disbelief over his success, but the sound of a harsh voice jolted him, and he stumbled up.

Hands still bound together, the alien began to run away from the creatures. He didn't know where he would go -- he simply knew that he had to escape. His gait resembling a horse's canter more than anything else, Ue-'Kuo continued to hobble onward, his stone and his beloved's stone thumping against his chest. He needed to escape, he needed to. It was not safe here, would never be safe here. But he had to run, and run fast.

The one thing he needed to do, and the one thing he could not do.

I need water! he thought, panicked. If there was water, he could swim away, arms or no arms. And his mucous coating could be replenished too, giving him at least a little more strength. But he needed to find a big enough body of water first, and Fate was not looking kindly at him. Oh my ancestors, what have I done to you?! Ue-'Kuo cried out in his head, anguished. What did I do wrong?! A new sound assaulted his ears, and he stopped.

More of the beings had arrived, and the Blind One spun around in place, despair filling his heart as he searched for a way out, any way out -- any way to get out of this...this nightmare.

But there was none, and all he could do was sag beneath his cloak, head lowered in defeat. This is it, he thought. I am to die away from home, away from family, and nowhere close to completing my quest. For a moment, he contemplated letting out another screech, but immediately shot that idea down; he did not have enough energy or strength, and something told him that this time, it wouldn't work. The only choice, then, was to wait for whatever choice these creatures decided to do with him.

Oh my beloved, how I have failed you.

 

[Boethiah]

Few incidents required the attention of the Host Lord. The affairs of star systems, fleets, and armies were enough but to attend to the peace of a single world out of a thousand stars was beyond infuriating; even to someone as patient as Anja. The reinforcements managed to corner the alien, they could've just shot the creature and been done with it -- why they hadn't was a curious question, it seems to their luck or not that a higher up wished to know exactly why the first guards to encounter the being did not do just that. Ironic.

An airspeed dispatched from the Imperial Palace towards the center of Ravelin was carrying the Host Lord, she was unguarded as she felt relatively comfortable in her own abilities and the growing familiarity of the streets below. It took only a matter of minutes for her to arrive whilst the guards maintained a barricade in which to prevent any chance of escape. The speeder landed just outside of the circle and stepping out of it the woman walked towards the center of the guards who allowed her a path inside to be face-to-face with the stranger.

The pale of her Umbaran eyes examined the creature up and down, piercing through him and beyond visual perceptions. "Who are you?" She asked despite being told beforehand that the creature did not seemingly know any basic. However; should she have to Anja could forcefully learn with ease through powers she obtained.

[member="Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou"]

 

[Ue-‘Kuo-‘Koe’c’cu-Eou]

This new being...it radiated a sort of power, a power which he sensed in the creatures around him. It was a power which demanded respect, attention, and obedience from everyone around it.

It was a power Ue-'Kuo did not like.

He could sense it, this...this Higher. But he refused to face it, refused to move. He was scared, weak, and alone. He did not know what else to do, so he did nothing.

Even after it asked a question.

Like all the others before, this one gave the alien the same question. No "How are you?", no "My apologies for the horrendous treatment my people have put upon you." Like all the others before, it wanted to know his name.

It would have to ask one of the other creatures, then. Ue-'Kuo just wanted to go home.

Still facing out into nowhere, the Blind One started humming a tune that was too low for most humanoids to hear, and even then it would just be a faint rumbling in their chests. It was a mindless tune, a tune which even he did not know why he sang it. But he did, and so he continued.

All so he did not have to deal with the new being whose power caused him to shiver more in fear than in exhaustion (though that was present, too).

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]