Public Monsters in the Dark (Sevaracos Drengir Hunt)

[Krenis Skirata]

RIMWARD RANGER CORPS JOINT MISSION
OPERATION: WEEDWHACKER
==============================================

Sith. Vong. Bryn'adul. The galaxy had seen more than its fair share of monsters. But as Krenis double-checked his Westar-34 and the gas-canister in his wrist-mounted flamethrower, it struck him that the greatest monster was among the most ancient.

Drengir.

Weird, carnivorous plants from long ago whose seeds could lay dormant for years before springing up to devour organic beings. He didn't quite understand them, but he was glad they hadn't been involved in the Clone Wars. While most of his equipment and training was against droids, he had a feeling much of that would work against Drengir. Organic superdroids, almost. No ion weapons this time, but fire and ice and gravity would make a difference.

Word had trickled in from Sevaracos to the Ranger headquarters at Svivren. Spice miners missing, even the spiders having vanished, and tunnels overcome by unexpected vines. The intel had filtered out to the Ranger Corps and through ORION to the privateers. Krenis had put the word out to assemble a team under letter of marque and, deputized as a temporary Ranger, he'd put down on Sevaracos.

The helmet of his beskar'gam filtered out the spice in the air, but the windswept dust grated against his armor, scoring streaks of his armor away. The small visor helped keep his viewplate clear, but the sand wasn't quite enough to scratch the transparisteel.

"Alright, troops," Krenis said, his voice modulated by the helmet. "These are every sentient being's nightmare dwelling deep in these tunnels. A hive-mind, super tough, fast healing, and they will eat every one of us if they get the chance."

He patted his chest plate so his gauntleted fist echoed off the beskar. "But let's make ourselves inedible. Work as a team, cover each other. Always have a back-up weapon handy. Concentrate your fire with your battle buddy. Keep your cams on if you want the full bounty."

Krenis surveyed his strike team, drawn from all over the Outer Rim and beyond. "I'll be honest with you. This could be among the toughest fights any of us have ever been in. Trust your instincts. Trust your skills. Keep your minds focused. They can take over even Jedi's minds, so pay attention to what you're doing and what you're thinking. Help your comrades. Any questions?"

If there were none, he turned the light on his helmet and stared into the cave entrance. "Let's push in."

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS ON HER: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 'FAE/M-01' Energy Blade, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets),
1 Firebrand Thermite Grenade Launcher, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite
TERMITE GEAR: 1 K914 SMG, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle
DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Krenis Skirata

The Gray Queen's Throne loitered in the area as the Termite touched down to rendezvous with the team already at the mouth of the appointed cave. It seemed silly to find a Dragnir...no. Dregnir. Drignir? A man eating plant in an asteroid but it seemed that's where this trail had led them.

The Termite settled in an out of the way spot, the cockpit door opening to the belly as the four droids turned to regard her. She gave them their orders, two guarding the ship, two on her to the mouth of the cave as she geared up. The wall of weapons was a tough choice at first, strapping a few pistols on and getting her usual knives ready while glancing at two of her newest acquisitions.

The energy sword was settled on her back for the moment as the seals on her suits hissed shut, an all clear on her hud informing her the system having run its diagnostic as she hefted the Grenade Launcher into her arms and patted it.

"Time to go boom." She aimed down the sights, careful to keep her finger off the trigger as the door opened and the five stepped out. Skitter and Pop hung back, taking up overarching of the ship with orders to shoot anyone not giving the friendly signal. Tremor and Clang followed behind her as she checked the map for coordinates and slowly made her way over until the Marines came into view.

She caught the tail end of it as they began to move forward, her hand pointing to either side of the entrance as Tremor and Clang rolled over to stand guard. Similar orders except with anything not giving the friendly signal. Flipping the recorder on, she stepped to the side to get ahead of the pack of Marines to speak with the leader.

She remembered something Kanis. Or like that anyway. Maybe Kenneth? Krampus? Feth she had to quit drinking on briefings.

"Ey. Brought a pop gun. Where do you want me?" Sasmay spoke up as she caught up to the lead man, showing off the Grenade Launcher to him to accentuate her point.

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Bounties for Drengir. Sure, that was not really one of the things he had spent time hunting, but well, it didn't matter. An enemy was an enemy. And with Ucks on the line? Well, maybe today was just the payday he was hoping for. There was a call out for people like him out along the Rim. It was odd, wasn't it? A boy born on Csilla, born from a Corellian, hiding out among the Rim, filling in the spaces the policing Jedi missed, fighting with the skills of a Jedi and a Jensaarai, and a Hunter of the Rim, something that hasn't been necessarily seen since days of the Fringe Federation and Levantine Free Space.

Krenis had made a call for those along the Rim. He kept himself on the lists of the Jedi and Hunters, hoping to find jobs through all methods possible. And that was exactly what he had done. Now he was moving to meet with the former ARC. Or, current ARC? Jared wasn't rightfully sure. He did have his navy and gold cortosis armor, atop the woven body glove of under armor.

Kyber cannon and his lightsaber, paired with a stolen-design of Mandalorian wrist-mounted flamethrower, and an enchanted blasde, nothing fancy, but the Force was assisting it.

As he followed Krenis in, the helmet of his Jensaarai armor painted with the likeness of a Corellian sea monster, he tightened the grip on his pistol and lightsaber. "I really don't care for this cave. And they may come to me like moths to a flame." Jared had enough of his father's training that he could keep the Drengir at bay, for a while at least.

Krenis Skirata Sasmay Cull

 

[Krenis Skirata]

Sasmay Cull Jared Starchaser

Droids. Krenis hated droids. It wasn't exactly personal, per se. Blame it on genetics or indoctrination or something. But judging by what they were facing, he would deal with it. Just this once. And only if they didn't betray them or anything. His fingers twitched on the trigger, but he let the carbine drop down on its sling before checking his hard sonic carbine. He gave a glance at the grenade launcher through his visor and gave a nod.

"Droids out front. Armored folks right behind. It should keep the acid or poison or whatever these things have in their tendrils away from skin. Squishies in the back."

A nod of greeting to Jared as the man strode in. "Good to see you again. And I don't care for the cave either, but it's where they are. And we'll keep that in mind. Use it to our advantage."

He gave a wolfish grin beneath his helmet. Not that they would see it. "We can use you as bait. Gear up, let's move in. I want to move in fast and hard before they can react to our presence." He stepped aside from the entrance to let the droids go in first. Might as well let them take the brunt of any attack. And if need be, he could shoot them in the back.

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS ON HER: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 'FAE/M-01' Energy Blade, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets),
1 Firebrand Thermite Grenade Launcher, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite

Spoiler: TERMITE GEAR

TERMITE ABOARD THE TERMITE: 1 K914 SMG, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle

DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Krenis Skirata @

Sasmay frowned but didn't argue, pointing to Tremor and Clang before circling the air and pointing ahead. The pair stared at her briefly before the red photoreceptors glanced to one another and a soft warble of worry passed between them.

"Worst comes to worse, I'll pull your cores. Go on." She reassured the pair of droids as they visibly sagged before taking the lead inside. She followed up behind them, looking to Krenis and Jared with a nod towards the cave.

"Come on. Otherwise I'm taking all the credits." She joked, engaging the visibility module of her helmet to show she was smirking at the pair. Her face visible now, she still had a flow of information to her as she took a cautionary step inside the mouth and scanned the opening with her flashlight.

"Anyone know if they blend in with the rocks? I could understand a forest or such but...asteroids seem a bit farfetched."

 

[Krenis Skirata]

Jared Starchaser Sasmay Cull

"They'll be fine," Krenis said, voice gruff and distant as he peered into the depths of the cave. "Drengier only eat organic beings and their poison doesn't affect machines. Plus I saw what their predecessors did to basically anything. Destroyer droids are some of the most lethal machines ever built."

He adjusted the filters in his helmet as he took the first step into the tunnel and tuned out the effects on the rocks. "Nah, they don't blend in. Look for viney plants. Sevaracos might not look like much from the surface, but underground, it's a very vibrant planet. All the water's down here, most of the indigenous life forms, the spice tunnels. It's quite impressive, and I wouldn't mind a Drengir-free visit someday."

Krenis clicked off the safety of his sonic carbine and calibrated his sights. "So let's hope we can clear this infestation out quickly."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Drengir were definitely to be hunted. They were on his list to hunt down, to claim some credits for. He had his weapons, and he had the Force. He was going to be a formidable opponent for them, but they were also strong against him. "I can be bait real well. And yes, lets move quick, we can get them around us… I'd rather not be surrounded but I feel we mayend up with these folks…"

Folks being Drengir, they really weren't people, but they were beings, and they were sentient. Deadly smart. Droids going first, that was a good tactic, if they were going to be carrying thermal detonators, probably even more so.

"Rocks, I'm not sure…" He had his helmet, and it was a bit more updated, scrapped from last generation Storm Commando helmet, he had his night vision on. It wasn't going to track plants all that well. "Just keep your eyes open. He pulled his blade out, his lightsaber still dark on its cross-chest holster. He wasn't about to bring the light to it.

"I can get their attention, if you are ready…" The Mirialan stated, debating grabbing the lightsaber, or the Force.

Sasmay Cull Krenis Skirata

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS ON HER: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 'FAE/M-01' Energy Blade, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets),
1 Firebrand Thermite Grenade Launcher, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite

Spoiler: TERMITE GEAR

TERMITE ABOARD THE TERMITE: 1 K914 SMG, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle

DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Krenis Skirata Jared Starchaser

"Don't blend in. Viney plants. Copy that." Came the quick reply as she focused her searching to the directions. Hunting plants seemed a strange way to spend the day, but then again bounties were bounties. Sometimes they were plain as day while others were a bit more far fetched.

"Do these Dengir things like just jedi, or all things force related?" She asked with a bit of intent listening to the conversation around her. Sparing a glance between the two before tacking on the small bit afterwards as she clicked the safety off on the thermite launcher. "Just...asking."

She'd kept herself as tightly shut off as possible, but even a stray feeling might have alerted the plant enemies to their presence. With hindsight being near to perfect, it was a thought that only passed her mind in the last few moments.

 

[Krenis Skirata]

Sasmay Cull Jared Starchaser

"Anything organic," Krenis confirmed, stepping into the tunnel entrance, letting the faint light from his headlamp spill out into the tunnel before adjusting his visor for low-light conditions. His eyes darted around the edges of the tunnel while he waited for the droids to scout out ahead. "I don't know much about what they want, but apparently they're a hive mind, so they can possess Force-sensitives."

He didn't know it worked, and ultimately, he didn't care. Space magic was outside of his purview. And frankly, Jedi had their own sort of problems. At least, the old ones he remembered from the Clone Wars.

Krenis paused and stepped in behind a boulder where he could get a line of sight down a perpendicular tunnel. "We can set up a defensive perimeter here if you can bait them in."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

"They're a plague. Hunting anything that lives and breathes." He had his lightsaber extinguished in his hand. It would do to serve well should they really need it. Most organics had an issue deflecting a blade of pure plasma, but he didn't want to bring unnecessary attention to the little team here. "And if they possess a Forcer, they can reach to the Force, from what I've heard."

He had no plans of becoming possessed, not today.

"I can bring them to us. Just get us set up." He holstered his pistol and grabbed a flashbang. It would set off enough vibration and light that he was sure it would pull the drengir right to them.


Krenis Skirata Sasmay Cull

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS ON HER: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 'FAE/M-01' Energy Blade, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets),
1 Firebrand Thermite Grenade Launcher, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite

Spoiler: TERMITE GEAR

TERMITE ABOARD THE TERMITE: 1 K914 SMG, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle

DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (With Sasmay - Tremor, Clang/ At the ship - Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Krenis Skirata Jared Starchaser

She pointed to a pair of alcoves between tunnels ahead of them as the destroyer droids trotted over and kept themselves marginally covered while providing a crossfire ahead of the group. Tremor and Clang speaking between themselves and catching the signals given off by those they had been clearly told to not shoot at.

"Stay out of the main isle. Those two will bisect what they can to make it bite sized. And I'll do what I can with this." Sasmay spoke cheerfully while checking the round currently engaged in the chamber. A small pat of the system had her stepping forward and to the side of the mouth of a tunnel.

"Ready when you all are." Came her final regard to safety, unsheathing the blade from it's scabbard and setting it against the wall before hand. Her trigger finger was carefully placed along the length of the guard, preparing for the storm.

 

[Krenis Skirata]

Sasmay Cull Jared Starchaser

Krenis nodded and adjusted his helmet visor a little further, "Ready." He moved to an alcove in the wall and unclipped the safety on the Hardrattle carbine. The things were resistant to plasma, from what he could find in the past records, but maybe not sonic weaponry. If not, he had a flamethrower and a beskad sheathed at the small of his back.

"Bring 'em in, Starchaser."

He could feel the anticipation running through his nerves now as each and every one activated, filtering through every bit of information from his HUD and his own senses. This was what had made them so good the Republic only needed a hundred of them. "Let's hope these droids are as effective as their predecessors."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

(Forgot completely about this for a bit with the Rona scare, hope no one has an issue opening it? If not, NBD)



The use of droids by the person he wasn't too familiar with was going to be a good move. If they had the extra gunhands, that was definitely hopeful. If they could even pull attention of the plants for the slightest bit, that could give the organics here the upper hand. Jared prided himself on being at least agile enough to fight most things, and reading into the combat, seeing the one moment or two that could get him the upper hand? He'd take it.

Call it an attack of opportunity.

Lightsaber and a flashbang, he was going to have to swap for the songsteel sword quickly, my his assumption. Two weapons like this were going to do him well. "Whatever gets past you, I can make short work of."

He closed his eyes as he nodded for the ARC. He opened himself fully to the Force. It wasn't the brilliant light that his father had been seen as in the Force, but Jared Starchaser was not reaching for the Force Light, just expanding his own aura, anyone viewing it in the Force would see a brilliant aqua blue flaring out, but the intent was to touch the minds of the others, of the Drengir, and lead them here.


Sasmay Cull Krenis Skirata