Private Landfall

[Talohn Atar]

Two Years ago...

It came from nowhere. Well, at least to his perception. Taloh had slowed down his ship from hyperspace to get some rest. He was dead asleep when it happened. An explosion that shook the entire ship, throwing him out of his bed and onto the floor with a loud hiss as he rolled into the opposite wall. Orange eyes dilated as he instantly dragged himself to his feet, another cataclysmic shake nearly knocking him to his knees with a stagger just as he did so. Though he was only wearing shorts and a shirt at the moment, they'd have to do. He strode towards the bedroom door, which opened with a mechanical hiss. If his reflexes had been even a bit slower, that would have been the end. Air getting sucked from a massive hole in the ship, a whole quarter gone from the back end, dragged the cathar straight out the door, only stopped by his activation of force speed as he spun about to grab on to the edge of the door. He looked down as he held on. Fire and smoke, with the cold threatening void of space beyond it. His incisored teeth gritted together. His force speed still active, he began using various handholds along the walls to begin climbing his way through what the current situation had made upwards in terms of gravity. He needed to get to the cockpit. Fast.

His arms ached as he made it to the corner of the hallway. He pulled himself up and over, finding himself pressed against the wall by the suction of air. Clawed fingers reached out to a nearby wall panel, which he pulled open before slamming his fist down on the button. Airlocks on that end of the ship slammed shut, isolating the back end of the ship from the front end. Freed from the pressure, he fell from the wall and landed deftly on his feet. After taking in a few deep inhales of breath, he began sprinting down the hall, taking a right as he made his way into the cockpit. A holographic screen came to life as it sensed his arrival, giving a diagnostic scan that had way too much red on it for his liking. He didn't bother to check extensively. He'd seen it. A bit more than a quarter of the whole corvette was gone. It was going down. All he could do was ensure his own survival. He slid into the main chair, fingers rapidly tapping on the controls, dismissing various warnings as he insisted the ship use one of the remaining scanners to detect any form of celestial body. This was the unknown regions, wild space. Wherever he went wouldn't be inhabited, which meant his only hope of getting back off of wherever he ended up in any capacity was to make sure that his ship shared the same course as his eventual escape pod. A single ping came up. Kammia. From the info in his databanks, it had oxygen at least. It would do.

The blue furred cathar used the last of what was in the remaining thrusters to veer the ship in that direction. Not long after that, another chain of explosions from something igniting shook the vessel, and the thrusters stopped reacting to his direction. He had managed to get the ship on course just in time. He estimated it's arrival would be a few hours after his own landfall. He stood up from the chair, solemn and quiet. "Sadi ri, acyu nya'mayu." He reached out to pat the dashboard a few times, his breath shaky. His metal footsteps reverberated throughout the ship amongst the explosions as he turned around, hurrying out the door. He came to the end of the hallway, the other end of it blocked by the blast door. After typing in a passcode, the door opened to reveal three of the ships allotted escape pods. The ones on the other end of the ship had already been lost. He hurriedly pressed the button on one of them, the door of the metal tube opening as he vaulted inside. Once the door shit behind him, he pulled the launch lever. With an explosive thunk, the pod left the ship. Talohn could slightly see it, the planet below. A slow exhale of relief left him as he found he was on course for one of the green parts.

Fire consumed the outside of the pod as he went through the atmosphere, Talohn shaking about inside with an assortments of grunts and hisses. Then came the impact. The pod went straight into the side of a mountain, causing an explosion of rock and smoke as it proceeded to roll down the side afterward, bouncing and reeling off of the jagged edges and cliffs. Within the pod, Talohn curled up into a ball as it happened, toss about like a ragdoll. The last thing he remembered was hitting the view port face first, completely losing consciousness as his forehead banged on the steel edge.

Talohn's eyes opened groggily, slow and resistant shaky breaths leaving him. His whole body hurt. He could feel the cold air on his skin. He turned his head to the left, finding that an opening had been cracked into the escape pod on it's way down the mountain. The crackle of sparks was audible as multiple parts of the pod moaned their despair, smoking and hissing. Had the pod not cracked open to let out the smoke, he would have suffocated. A labored hiss leaving his lips, he pulled himself forward with his arms till he fell out of the pod and onto the grass of the forest. He laid sprawled out on his back, staring at the sky. Judging by the position of the sun, it was some time in the evening for Kammia. But more importantly, miles off, he could see it. What remained of the crimson wolf entering the atmosphere. His teeth gritted, the corners of his eyes watering.

A mix of despair and relief in one shittily delivered package.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Testing new equipment was always finnicky.

Si Tech's first dip of their toe beans into the starfighter market had been a tenuous one. The LionX had been a design Jonyna had mulled over for years, but one that had to have happened eventually. Part of the testing, by her own words, was 'idiot proofing' the ship.

That's where she came in. She had always said with Rara, "I should be able to fly this ship, at the very least. If I can't at least understand the basics of it, it's a bad design."

The teenage genius behind Si Tech's success had once pushed back against the policy, but it was a policy that Jonyna had kept to. The GA's best and brightest didn't need to be tackling with complex systems in a dogfight, after all.

The Unknown Regions had always been a testing ground for Si Tech. Away from prying eyes, with not much activity from the rest of the galaxy to interrupt Jonyna's careful flying.

She'd always been subpar at flying. Ever since her days with Zash right behind her, literally holding her hand as she flew The Tenacity, Jonyna had avoided it as best she could.

Maybe that's why she was caught upside down when it hit. Sylvar knows what it was, Jonyna couldn't tell, but all she could tell was that she was falling.

Her, and D1-C3, falling to the planet below. Kammia, a planet unknown to her, now her destination.

Dice was quick to take the controls, flipping the ship and aiming for a valley, rather than the hard mountains that they were originally aimed at.

13%

10%

5%...

Crash!
Jonyna survived by the skin of her teeth. She could feel the concussion, and the heavy feeling in her right leg. Probably broken. Pulling a pacta injector from her utility belt, she stabbed her leg with as much as she could.

Don't fall asleep. That's how concussions kill you...

 

[Talohn Atar]

It had been a long few. At least it was a few years by Talohn's estimation. There was no civilization, no calendars, no clocks, and the planet didn't follow the same solar cycle as his home planet, or the solar cycle alarms his own ship had been set to. Could be four years. He really had no full estimation of time. He'd put it in the ballpark of the 2-5 year range at this point. Were he most other people, he wagered he would have starved and died long before this point. The cathar was more thankful than ever for his tribal roots, the knowledge of being an expert survivor in the wilderness having been passed on to him from the moment he could walk. The first thing he had done after escaping certain death when he had first arrived on the planet was salvage what he could from his ship wreck. There wasn't much left on account of the ship being wide open when it had entered the atmosphere. The ship interior had been utterly fried and sizzled. Barely any salvageable tech. But metal was still metal after it cooled. Thus, after extensive labor, he managed to separate enough loose metal panels and other parts from the frigate to build an old metal shack. Other things came soon after as he secured the most efficient chances of survival. Carving wood to make bows and arrows, mixing clay to be constructed into a forge, using the forge and scrap from the ship to make spear heads, blades and arrow heads. What remained of the ship, even if it couldn't get him off of the planet, was a valuable resource. Having set the foundations of his survival, he quickly settled into a routine of exploring, foraging and hunting. He'd rest when needed. During the day for the mostpart. Night was treacherous on this planet. The larger carnivorous predators were nocturnal. Though Talohn was nocturnal as well. As long as he made sure to be awake, the beasts had just as much a risk of being prey as any other animal. Overall, it was peaceful...but lonely. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually spoken a full sentence. He'd salvaged an old music player from the ship, and some of the security logs. The security logs were a common listen. Just to hear them. Zlova, Leea, Monari, Madlad. Even if it was just an illusion, falling asleep to their idle chatter and recordings made him feel a semblance of something. It made him miss them more, sure. But it was better than the silence that came with a planet absent of sentient life.

He was at the top of a mountain, eyes shut as he sat in silence with his feet dangling off of the edge, enjoying the peace and quiet of the moment. There was one thing this extended fit of loneliness had encouraged him to do. He'd always been force sensitive. He had just never really focused on it. This past two years had been different. In the depths of his sadness and suffering born of being a social creature with no way to socialize, he had come to feel it more. Calling out to him. With no other social outlets, it was easier to respond. To communicate with it in return, enjoying it's advice and companionship. He somewhat understood it now. Why sith and jedi alike would banish themselves to all manner of decrepit and isolated places to be alone for months to years on end. Not that he'd ever do it again willingly if he managed to get off this world. His deep introspection was interrupted by a slight hissing noise that made one of his ears twitch. It was distant. Slowly, those orange colored eyes opened, drifting upwards in the direction of the noise. Upon seeing it, those half lidded eyes shot wide open. It was hard to make out through the fire as it entered the atmosphere, but the shape was unmistakable. A ship entering the atmosphere. Crash landing, from the looks of it. He sprang to his feet. He could wager a guess on where it was going to crash land judging by where it was in the sky. He'd have to be close by if he wanted to make it in time to help any survivors.

She wouldn't have been on the ground long. 20 minutes at the most. But night had fallen. Glowing green eyes in the darkness of the forest around her, alongside the occasional hiss. Some of the local wildlife was circling her, gauging her threat level, and whether or not she'd make a good meal. Judging by their scent, they were some form of reptile.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

The forest wasn't anything new to Jonyna. The Cathar was familiar enough with it to immediately know what to do. Find a tree, climb it, and get her bearings.

Dice had gotten to work fixing what was left of the ship. Thank Sylvar for that little bot, he was probably her saving grace, and hopefully, in the next few days, they'd be up and out of here.

She still didn't know what hit her. A meteroite? Another ship? She hadn't sensed anyone else in the system, then again she hadn't been paying much attention while getting the hang of flying this damned thing.

Saber on her back, she let the spirits of her crystals, twin ethereal owls, shoot from her back and extend her senses. A jedi master such as herself should be able to get off this backwater rock herself, yeah?

 

[Talohn Atar]

From what her senses could manage, it would seem the creatures were some form of quadruped reptile. Around Nexu sized. Then something else arrived. Her senses would instantly pick it up as another presence in the force. Not light, not dark. Decidedly neutral. From the direction of whatever this entity was, a loud sound emanated. It sounded like some sort of loud, booming roar that echoed through the trees. In response to the noise, all but one of the reptiles scattered. The one that remained turned to face the noise, backing up while hissing and snarling. It would back up into light enough for Jonyna to see it. It looked similar to a krayt dragon, though significantly smaller and with digitigrade legs. It's noises of defiance were interrupted as it was hit with a volley of arrows from the forest. Most bounced off of it's harsh skin, but the sting was enough to make it flee back into the brush.

As whatever had fired the arrows got closer, she'd be able to make out a pair of orangish glowing eyes, hovering from branch to branch until the rest was finally visible in the light from the fire of the crashed ship. He perched on a higher tree branch, staring down at her. A cathar from the looks of it. Bluish grey fur, black stripes, previously mentioned orangish eyes. His upper body was dressed in what seemed to be a loose collection of hides, held together by forged metal pieces. around the collar. More of a cloak than a shirt. His lower body was covered by a pair of moccasins and pants tailored from dried reptile hide. A bow and a leather quiver were slung over his shoulder, and a spear was currently in his right hand.

After getting a closer look at the survivor of the crash, the cathar's eyes narrowed. He made no sudden movements, setting his spear down in the crook of a branch to show his goal wasn't to cause harm. "Kurac lya'tuk? (Rough Day?)" He questioned in his native tongue. He could tell she was a cathar, but he was curious if he had happened upon a fellow native.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Careful eyes watched the events unfold, keeping herself out of reach. The trees were a playground for the Denik-Cathar, and she kept herself busy. Watching the kids on the ground, beating each other up, while she was on top of the monkey bars.

Then a friendly face popped out. Another Cathar, speaking her language...

Her accent was slightly different, marking her as a Denik, but she spoke it all the same.

<I've had worse.> She chuckled, looking down. <Fancy seeing another one of My People here. What, you also get shot down?>

 

[Talohn Atar]

The cathar's head tilted in curiosity as she spoke his native tongue back to him. Her accent was familiar as well. He had never been to any of the Denik clan, but his city tree had done trade with Denik on occasions. Enough for him to at least recognize the accent's origin. Yet, accent aside, there was something else she said that set off alarms in his head. "<You were shot down?>" He looks at the wreckage of her ship, teeth gritted together. This was a concerning coincidence. To be frank, he didn't trust it. But at the same time, if someone were being sent to kill him it wouldn't be so long after his crash.

He takes a deep breath, orange colored eyes finally shifting back to Jonyna. "<Follow me. I have a camp nearby. We can talk there safely. Being out after dark is risky. There are carnivores on this planet bigger than those lizards.>" He takes the spear and sheathes it through some metal loops on his back before starting to dart from branch to branch. Jonyna would quickly notice he's using the subtle enhancement of force speed to keep up momentum between the trees. Where most jedi with such a power couldn't help but go full speed or not at all, his control of it seemed more refined.

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Jonyna was quick to follow, using her own speed enhancement to keep up. Not a normal one, but rather spitting bursts of flame from her back and legs while navigating the canopy in the traditional denik fashion.

<Best I could tell, yeah. My droid tells me the blackbox of the ship survived, and was shooting off alarm warnings before I got hit. I just...wasn't paying attention to them. I only flew out here to field test the new fighter for my company. Jonyna Si, by the way. I didn't catch your name.>

Said droid was idly following behind, slowly boosting his way through the forest floor. He wasn't worried about any carnivores, and he knew his master would protect him.

 

[Talohn Atar]

Her words cause a long moment of silence from Talohn as he weaves casually in between the trees. Alongside absorbing that info, he was mulling it over. The prospect of giving her his name. He had been shot down too. After finally coming to the internal decision that he could fend her off if need be, he finally speaks up again.

"Talohn Atar. Or Verd, if you've been in those social circles." A name of notoriety. One who's name was known throughout the old CIS as both a member of the royal house alongside being a skilled mercenary, and who's likeness graced the murals of multiple city trees back on the planet of cathar. Went missing two years ago. Assumed dead by most beyond the atmosphere of this planet.

Finally, they arrive at the campsite. It wasn't much, but was suitable enough for someone surviving on a deserted planet. A metal shack held together by hand hammered rivets and bolts around a wooden frame made from tree trunks. The metal sheets were rusted and somewhat charred. Ripped from the wreck of his own ship. In front of the shack was a firepit with a pile of hides on the floor for sitting on. Above the firepit was a metal rack for hanging meat to cook, seemingly made from bent rebar.

The sound of a voice could be heard from within the shack as they arrive. But it was fuzzy. A recording from the sounds of it. As they arrive, the cathar wordlessly makes his way towards the jury rigged structure, opening the door and briefly stepping inside. From outside, she'd be able to see him pick up a holopad that was playing some form of audio log. He stares at it somberly for a long moment before tapping the screen, silencing the recording. He then exits the building, orange gaze resting on Jonyna. "I...believe I was shot on my end as well. I've had a lot of time to review the data."

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Talohn.

Jonyna's job as Sage of the Denik had afforded her a unique opportunity most native Cathar would never have. The ability to venture out, meet other tribes. She remembered a time when she too was simply a kitten, ignorant of the larger cathar community.

But Talohn was a name she had seen before. Seen the murals, spoken to the people. In way, it felt strange. Meeting another legend of her people. She had her own murals back on Ran Dom Kuun, and to meet another...

It was surreal.

But it also connected a dot in Jonyna's head.

"...you think someone is targeting notable Cathar?"

 

[Talohn Atar]

Talohn taps about on his datapad, reviewing the info of his crash once again. He pauses for a moment as a picture of a red Twi'lek with black sith tattoos comes up in the gallery of camera footage he's going through. A huff leaves his lips. He didn't want to look at that right now. With a few taps. he shuts off the datapad and sets it down on the chair that's by the firepit. Her words had reached his ears, but he was taking a moment to percolate them. He had to place her name first. He'd heard it but struggled with it's origin. Suddenly, his head snaps to look at her as he arches a brow. "You're the Alliance's preferred arms dealer." He grunts to himself, placing a hand on his chin. With that realization, her theory made sense. Removing notable cathar? Going for the notable members of a race? That painted a grim picture. "We're the only two cathar of note in the galaxy. Who's words could have any conceivable weight in the galactic scale. Even then, I'd wager you're more known than I am at this point. Which would be why they went for me first. But....why would someone-" He meets her eyes again. "This doesn't bode well for our people or our culture."

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

"I've already dealt with one group who call themselves the greatest warriors in the galaxy a few weeks ago. Whomever thinks it's a good idea to tick me off now, is a ballsy idiot." Jonyna growled at the thought, before pausing and letting out a huff through her nose. "Is that what you know me for? Not my work as a relief worker, rebuilding planets, or my work as a jedi?"

She blew out a frustrated breath.

"Figures."

 

[Talohn Atar]

The cathar waves a hand dismissively. "That's more a me problem than a you problem. I remember the wrong part of the equation all the time." He cackles somewhat. It was good to speak to another sentient. It was interesting, how one could come to miss using their voice just as much as they missed other voices speaking to them. After addressing her qualm, he shifts his gaze to the sky, gaze deeply ponderous. "Whatever the case, you could be on to something. Enough to do some digging around if we get off this planet. But that's the more pressing issue." He looks to her now, crossing his arms. "Accident or not, we're stuck here. Comms don't work within the atmosphere. We need to work on getting that 'if' changed to a 'when'. If we can just leave the atmosphere, I can call someone that'll be here in a flash."

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

"I can have the entire Alliance looking for me if need be, but you're right." Jonyna noted as she looked to her droid. "If my ship is still in one piece, Dice should be able to repair it with whatever you have left of yours. That is, if you don't mind a tight fit. One seater." Jonyna chuckled. "Or we could figure out how the hell to fix yours."

 

[Talohn Atar]

"I'd rather our return be more subtle if you don't mind. If someone wants us dead, I don't want them hearing that we're back again too fast. The person I'm calling can do it quietly. No news, no paperwork. You can lay low till you're nice and safe back in Alliance space, and I can lay low till I get in contact with some of the Verds." He then proceeds to look off in the distance at what's left of his ship. If she followed his gaze, she'd be able to see it as well. An entire corvette with a quarter of it's mass blown off the back left side, lodged into the side of a mountain. He stares at it, his expression blank. "Yeah. We aren't fixing mine. We'll be able to repair yours, though. Hell, might even manage a second seat." He states in a bout of dry humor.
Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Jonyna paused, looking at the corvette lodged in the side of a mountain. "Yeah...probably not. You can sit on my lap though." A wink, and a smirk. "It'll be fine. I don't think I suffered too much damage, and there should be enough parts to repair it. Worst case scenario, you do have to sit on my lap."

Jonyna knew better than to get between a man and his woman, but she didn't intend to.

 

[Talohn Atar]

Talohn waves a hand dismissively. "Sorry, there's only one girl's lap I wanna sit in. Even after two years." He turns to face the destroyed corvette fully, arms crossed. "Hell of a trek down that way though. It'll take us a day or so. Best start in the morning." He sighs. "Wouldn't recommend travelin around here at night. Even with two people as experienced as us." He wanders off for a few moments, returning with a collection of three logs in his arms. He kneels down on one knee, tossing each log into the fire. He then picks up a pair of rocks, preparing to bang them together. As he's about to, he stops. "What am I thinkin?" He shakes his head, looking to Jonyna. "You mind?"

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Jonyna chuckles, walking over and holding out a hand, a burst of flame shooting from it to ignite the campfire. "I figured. You carry yourself like a married man, and I could never get between that unless offered." She sat down, before looking up at the stars. Couldn't help but think of Jenn. Taam. Giran. "Just...lonely myself. Keep striking out, and longing for a lover or three to call my own. What's yours like?" She smirked, looking to her fellow Cathar. "Give me all the juicy details."

 

[Talohn Atar]

Talohn steps back from the fire as he sees a burst of fire leave her fingers. "Gotta be the easiest I've ever had a fire lit here since the battery on my lighter went out." He huffs, shaking his head. "Pyrokinesis, hm? Not a force ability I've seen around." A yawn leaving him, he stretches his arms in the air, sitting on a log by the fire afterwards. His expression turns to a puzzled one, head tilting. "I carry myself like a married man? That's...that's a new one. Quite frankly, I'm not even sure how someone reads such a thing off of someone." He picks up a nearby metal poker that's sitting on the ground, using it to move the wood about in the fire. "I wasn't purposefully looking when I met Zlova." He chuckles slightly, a warm smile forming on his lips. "Fiery, full of conviction, but sweet as honey to my daughter and I. Then again, fiery is what you sign up for when it comes to Lethan gals, eh?" He grins wryly.

Jonyna Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Talohn Atar

Jonyna let out a snort. "Married men always have this calmness to them. They aren't looking, so they don't feel the need to swagger around everywhere. You have that."

She smiled as he told her the details. "Oh trust me, I know fiery." She brought a hand up, tossing her own orange locks out on the wind in a dramatic display. "Comes from my dad's side of the bloodline. He was always a bit of a goober. Lethan, though. What, you got a kink for Lekku?"

She was clearly teasing, but it was easy to relax when she was talking to one of her own.