Private Predator or Prey

[Khamesi Aivar]

The shuttle screamed through the system, fire trailing from one wing, the other already missing. Khamesi growled in ever growing frustration and anger as every readout showed critical failures, including life support. She hit one button, nothing. She hit a different button and was rewarded with a blast of sparks for her trouble. Growling as she realized the ship was completely doomed, she raised her fist and brought it down on the console, shattering the interface and cutting her hand in her fury.

The shuttle stuttered, dipping as the planet below was pulling it in. Khamesi didn’t have much time, so she grabbed what gear she had nearby, her belt and saber, her gun, and booked it. A shuttle this size only had the one escape pod, but one was all she needed. It would have supplies, a beacon, and anything else she needed till she could find out who had planted a bomb in her shutttle.

Diving into the escape pods he could already feel the shuttle shaking violently as it began to skim the atmosphere. Getting down into the seat and strapping herself in, the escape pod sealed itself shut with a hiss before rocketing free from the shuttle. At least, that was how things were supposed to work. Instead the remaining wing ripped itself free, slamming into the ejecting shuttle and throwing it off course, and tearing it partially open.

Khamesi had little time to brace herself as the escape pod slammed into the jungle below, the shuttle itself finding a mountain top and exploding, smoke rising from the crater it had left. Khamesi untangled herself from her seat and tried to open the pod to find the door shut. Nostrils flared with anger as she raised her foot and kicked the pod open, door flying free and landing somewhere in the jungle beyond the small clearing her crash had created.
Once she was free from the pod she started dragging the supplies out of it. It was in no shape to provide shelter so instead she’d have to bring everything with her and find new shelter. Her fleet would find her eventually, she just had to survive till then. She went over what survived. Not much of the food, but the water filter and portable generator had both made it. The rifle was a bit banged up but still functioned, and the scope still worked. Good, between it and her shotgun she could at least still hunt if she needed to and refill the used power packs.

She crouched down in the clearing, getting to work packing everything for travel, unaware that this planet wasn’t uninhabited, and that strange things lurked in the jungles beyond. Perhaps already watching her.

Domina Prime

 

[Domina Prime]

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Tags: Khamesi Aivar
LOCATION: Felucia

These days things felt different to her. Lately there had been thoughts, questions...doubts. Perhaps...a need for clarity, and an understanding of her purpose. Things the xeno struggled to find her entire life, and even now, when held warmly in the embrace of her new hive the alien creature still found her mind wandering, her instincts itching to stretch and claw. Perhaps some things were merely beyond her understanding.

What happened to her? Somewhere along the way she felt she had lost a step, gotten sloppy...senile...civilized. Gods how had it come to that? How had she allowed herself to become to flimsy? To dull her own edge and succumb to the galactic standard.

She needed to realign herself, zero back the clock, remind herself of why she was the way she was. And yet still, a voice rang out from the ether of her imagination, with a picture perfect face to match it. A man, with burning, ember like eyes stood against her, a godling from her past not to long ago. And the words from his lips still rang like bells in the aliens consciousness.

"Look at you. So short-sighted, blinded by your bloodlust. Did you ever stop to look at the bigger picture, you simple-minded creature?
You might fight well, have the anatomy of a Nether-born abomination… but you will never be superior to a thinking, reasonable man."

It was amusing was it not? How these were the words she considered, of the many words that had been spoken to her in such a way. She did find herself wondering about said bigger picture, beyond her mighty hunts, beyond her endless desire to see the godlings put in their place Dima had to know. Was she truly an abomination?

A silly question really, of course she was. Difference between her and a common abomination however, is that she was ever evolving...ever expanding. And thus, the potential for growth...change.

But what changes to make? Her physical body was marvelous, completely unique to herself. No there would be no altering to her grand design but still. How to exist on the level of a thinking, 'reasonable' man...perhaps she could exercise elegance, take time to grow her intelligence past the base instinct of bloodlust and savagery.

There was much to consider, much to ponder, and it was for the best. Dima knew she could not remain as she was forever, and as the many alien eyes of the spider-like creature swam over the starry skies of Felucia from atop her jungle perch when a sudden explosive pressure erupting from the skies filled the huntresses senses. Stirring her from her thoughts and causing her five eyes to trace over the swirling ship as it barreled into orbit and split into two as a shuttle pod flew off into a separate direction was the other wreckage. Cleaving a path through the forest floor and splitting the jungle asunder which had surly disturbed many of the local inhabitants of the world.

Dima herself was here for different reasons, reconnecting with her wild side. Wearing little more than cloth and loose furs on herself while her weapons and armored possessions remained far away and secure while Dima reminded herself that she...was more than a mandalorian. More than her armor, and testing herself on feral, primitive worlds was her preferred method of sharpening her edge. Civilized worlds rarely offered her the opportunity to sharpen her claws and wet her teeth. Such conflicting wants and whims often distracted the beast, but this newly arrived stranger had sparked amusement in the lifeforms mind as strange, alien legs carried her quickly from tree to tree, prancing from branch to branch as if it were second nature, tail whirling about and wrapping around tree trunks as she leaned out of a tree upside-down to observe from the of debris from the crash that now sat strewn across the jungle floor.

"Hmm~" Dima pondered, wondering if she really wanted to be the first to investigate this wreckage since she was aware of the strange and bizzare wildlife running around these lands. Especially with the tribes warring nearbye Dima withdrew herself back into the trees with her tail to hide away again, figuring perhaps it would be best to just...watch from a distance. With her claws sinking into the surface she clung to the spider made her way higher into the trees, her scales shifting in color to replicate their environment as a single, central eye dilated and focused as she neared the crash site of the pod, only to observe a lone lifeform emerge from the wreck.

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[Khamesi Aivar]

Khamesi pulled the pack of supplies onto her back as something felt...off. She raised the heavy shotgun she often carried and scanned the jungle. She couldn't be sure where she was being watched from, but something was watching her. Maybe hunting her. As she got a better look at her surroundings she cursed to herself. Felucia. Dangerous wildlife, dangerous natives, dangerous plants, and dangerous space. The Ashlan Crusade controlled this region, which meant that Crusaders could descend on her any time if she made it clear she was Sith even on accident. She'd have to watch her step, keep her darkness hidden, and find her own way off this planet. After a moment of thought, she turned the shotgun on her distress beacon and put a round directly into it's battery, dropping the smoking husk on the ground and chambering the next round. Slughtrowers may be inelegant, but they were effective and she loved the feeling of them in her hands. With that, her eyes still wary of whatever was watching her, she started her way towards the mountains. She'd need a lay of the land, and shelter. They would provide both of those.

The pack on her back barely slowed her, and this wasn't the first time she'd been stranded in a jungle. She avoided the dangerous plants easily, though she kept her shotgun at the ready. She knew whatever was watching her would follow, and if it did, eventually she'd have her chance to scare it off or kill it. The rough terrain didn't slow her much, given her experience with these places, but a native whether sapient or feral would be slowed less. If they matched pace with her, she would at least know they were stalking her. If they didn't it was just curious about who or what she was. She stopped after a while near a stream to use her filter to collect more water. t could condense it straight from the atmosphere, but filling it now would mean she could drink now.

Domina Prime