Private That's So Coral

[Makai Dashiell]

Mezokara | That's So Coral | Tingel Arm
​

Makai knew there would be a day he got his first honey-do list but he didn't expect to get tossed into the deep end the first time out. Head craned down to look at his comm, rubbing the back of his neck as he read. Find sustainable mining practice for teniline granules. Utilize ionic decontamination device on water. Give a report for enhancements for said device. Explore teraforming technology for corals. Nothing major apparently, just light work. What made it worse is he had no time to stop and explore some of the grottos or rocky outcroppings that littered the planet. The planet was a geological marvel and one he was going to have to visit when business wasn't pressing down on his shoulders.

[ Staring at the list won't make it get done any faster Sir. ]

Makai had hoped he could leave L3-37 on the shuttle but he had been cheerfully reminded that the droid had been built for all but the most harsh conditions. L3 had been quick to point out an oil bath and regular maintenance once they returned would ensure no ill effects of salt, sun, or sand. So the bipedal droid shuffled along with him, offering unhelpful commentary and advice each time Makai stopped to do anything.

Ignoring the droid's words, Makai slid his comm back into his pocket. The easiest task was the last one. The corals. If they reproduced asexually it would be a simple matter of fragmentation or budding and using those pieces to expand. If it took eggs and fertilization, Makai realized it would be just as easy, but a longer process and one that could only done by hand to ensure the most production. The moon had more than enough places to start a small coral farm ; it would be getting folks live here to tend and nurture it, not that many would be needed for the task.

( Coral is already handled. I thought you said this would be a challenge? ) Message sent, he got busy once again.

He wandered down to the shore, L3 following in his wake. Shuttle had been left on a flat piece of rocky beach away from high tide but it was still in view. There had been little reason to check in on the tiny outpost that served as a port of call. Now for the teniline granules. He had a rough idea but it involved taking a dive into the ocean to confirm a theory or two. There was some equipment back on his shuttle but he didn't need it just yet.

"L3, I've got to dive underwater. I'll be under for thirty minutes to an hour."

[ Can you hold your breath that long? ]

"We're about to find out." Makai could breathe underwater, but L3 didn't need to know such a thing yet. He could play L3's game too.

 

[Brooke Waters]

More worlds to search. And the Galactic East was a fairly quiet area, once the State of the Sith Order were skipped, and the Empire of the Lost was avoided. The Tingel Arm and Wild Space were a great place. Relatively safe, relatively unconnected with the rest of the world. The Gulag had separated so many places from everywhere else, and it made it almost peaceful out here. The Witch was more than happy to follow the Clan Mother's guidance and get out further, looking for planets which had the rare and elusive Blue Corals of Dathomir.

She'd located some on Kattada and Arda, but when word came to her that there was a world out there, lost to the galaxy but very aquatic? She had to take another trip out.

The Riptide solar sloop had made its way out into the Levantine Spur and to the moon of Mezokara. Her research, and part of it was from her contacts in Baobab, provided enough that she knew it was supposed to be where she was going. Corals, seafood, lightly populated. Could it be a home for the Witches? She wasn't certain. The moon had a weird gravity, but it was definitely a place for her.

The solar sloop was landed, and the blonde took her time to find a decent coast that should have some corals off of it. She had a skinsuit that was designed to not only be something she felt good in when she was needing that mental boost of eyes on her, but also didn't have her overheat from the warm waters. Its goal was to prevent her from getting any rash or toxin from the other species in the water.

Having been out already, she was setting up mapping pings on potential coral beds for her to scout later on. The lightsaber pike was held in a strap across her back, and in her hands was a speargun.

Markers placed. Please do some scanning of the larger area. She said, through the water and her commlink to her blue-and-white probe droid. Nothing scary like a Viper, but a small companion explorer that was based on her ship.

Makai Dashiell

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Toxins? Strange pests? Rashes?

Should such a thought go through his mind? Naturally. Did it? Not in the slightest.

Of course he had the front of mind to wear a rash guard, as if the UV built into the fabric was going to protect him from every foreign substance on the moon but that was here nor there. Shoes were taken off and handed to L3-37 to take care of, not that the droid looked thrilled to be doing such a task. Granted, L3 only had one expression but at this point Makai could just tell when his unit was absolutely done with him.

[ Holding your shoes is the new highlight of my programming Sir. ]

Ignoring the droid , Makai ambled down to the shore. He dove headfirst into the ocean - incredibly warm but not as salty as he expected. An odd brackish feel but as far as he saw, there was no river nearby feeding into the ocean near his current location. One of the spacers stated the water could be drunk in duress, but Makai imagined large quantities would create an issue. A weird planet indeed.

Scans from orbit and indicated where the teniline veins could possibly be. Much of the ones on the surface had been claimed or touched. The only others brave enough to go for such a thing in the waters were the Mon Cala and he had seen only a handful so far on this excursion. Now he could have sent another scanner out but where was the fun out that? Whats the point of having aquatic DNA if one wasn't going to use it now and then.

Besides, seeing the teniline vein with his own eyes would be valuable to assess.

Brooke Waters

 

[Brooke Waters]

Being away from Kattada definitely made her powers a little less viable. She was a Witch, a Blue Coral Diver, and knew how to pull power from the worlds she called home. She learned on Pamarthe, learned on Kattada, and was learning for Arda. But here was where her magick was put to the test. There were a few small things she could do before she really tied into the world’s power but her larger powers were more shamanistic and needed some ritual.

Did it bother her? No. The Clan Mother said that she had a gift of adapting quickly, a daughter of two worlds, the land and the sea. She was also a bit more thoughtful than some that were out wandering the void. The blonde was covered in her skinsuit, while checking out the new world. It was what needed to happen, otherwise she could have something she could bring to this ocean. Or worse, something in this ocean could ruin and wreck havoc with her skin. And hair.

Took a lot of work to get it to the perfect silver-blonde. And if people didn’t look too closely to when the sun hit her skin, she could fool them into thinking she was an Echani. Another way to keep her Clan safe. But that just meant she could get the jump on someone with a quick blast of a vibration burst, or Grip of the Deep. That was always a fun trick to use when someone wasn’t expecting it.

Her droid beeped back an affirmative, and Brooke took the few moments to float around, chasing a few fish through the water. Her wrist-top datapad, linked to the Explorer-data pad on her hip, was giving a small yellow glow as the data was being interpreted. Shortly, it turned green, before she could do much more than scan a few species of fish.

Blue Coral identified. And the maps lit up with a few locations of the prized and sacred coral.
Teniline identified. That one was a bit more exciting. A rare resource for hyperdrives. Brooke smiled for that one and nodded to herself.

“Going to check it out..” She started kicking towards the vein, the one near the shore. She didn’t need to go back for air yet, but it was still, well, closer to her ship?

What she didn’t expect was another aquatic. As she saw another in the water, her hand went for her pike, rather than her speargun, in case the being got close, or saw her.

Makai Dashiell

 

[Kaimana Vun]

"Whoaa, would ya look at dhat?" a low, appreciative whistle came from the Nautolan, the young woman resting hands at her hips and enjoying the beautiful view of low tides and all the pristine wonder Mezokara had to offer.

[ Statement: My ocular sensors are active. Query: Where do you want me to make my observation? ] The Arceneau Trade Company research and development field operative droid loomed over the petite Nautolan Researcher.

"Dhat right dhere, Ay-kay." the woman gave a sweep of a teal hand, gesturing to the sea, the tides, the coral, the beauty of it all.

"Can ya not see all dhis wonder? Pristine oceans like dhis are rare." Kaimana was right about that. Once the resources were discovered, all it took was a few money-grubbing corporations to make their move to exploit and leave what was once a beautiful ocean into a polluted mess. Arceneau Trade was hoping to mitigate that. Their extensive focus on decontamination and terraforming ravaged worlds was one of the reasons Kaimara had applied to their research and Development division, aligning with MaraTibx and the Arceneau Trade Company umbrella to continue that green energy and renewable resource arm growing.

She was here to assist in gathering data for what the woman on top needed regarding establishing a biodome space for a permanent location. Orders indicated that she would eventually meet with a Salacia Consolidated contact regarding what they pulled up on the corals and the best method of building a refinery station for the teniline granules. Most likely off-world or perhaps in a nearby refinery station.

But for now, Kaimana figured a good dip wasn't going to hurt anyone.

Brooke Waters Makai Dashiell

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Makai was fairly oblivious when it came to several things. Especially his surroundings when it came to doing something he absolutely loved ; swimming and geology could be a bad combination. There had been a few times he had smacked his head or ran into a predator larger than himself and got into a world of trouble. He was trying not to let that happen today, especially considering the odd moon wasn't one he had heard of before. Could be both good and bad.

Kicking down to the ocean floor, shaggy half-Galan was face to face teniline granules, a veins worth. Eyes search around to see if he could gauge how far it went, hard to do without sensors or equipment. Hand gripped a rock, using it to anchor himself to get a better look when he caught sight of a woman with both a speargun and pike. He didn't great catch any type of rebreather equipment or bubbles.

Another humanoid aquatic out here? Interesting odds.

Hand left the rock, holding both up as if to say listen here, I don't have anything on me. Makai wasn't going to get killed over some teniline. There were other planets with the resource.

Brooke Waters | Kaimana Vun

 

[Brooke Waters]

The oceans were home. They were were she belonged and represented her freedom. Her finding herself. Her finding her abilities. She had tried to be a Jedi, and kept the remainder of that in her weapon, the lightsaber pike, but she was a Witch. She was connected to the Force and the oceans in a way that most couldn’t be. Even beyond her Magick, it was her blubreen background that gave her so many different capabilities and made it easier for her to exist in the water.

Or on it. She really did need to move her sailboat out of the Core.

While she wasn’t a scientist, she was a student, having gone back to a Corellia HoloNet Academy for ecology and oceanography. A bit cheating that. But who else to do those types of sciences aside from the people who could live there? And it was better than falling on her trades of bounty hunting and dancing in casinos.

Seeing the other, she had her lightsaber pike unignited, the speargun on her back. She looked to the being.

“What are you here for?” She was already ready to defend this ocean.

 

[Kaimana Vun]

Meanwhile, Kaimana was having a blast. She stripped down to the bare minimum after confirming the temperature of the water. It was perfect. Wearing only a chest band and swim trunks, the Nautolan jumped into the surf with the glee of a four-year-old getting ready to conquer the waves.

[Assesement: You should stay near the shore until a full sweep of the shoreline is complete. ] AK-29 reminded her, his ocular flaps moving up and down as if in disapproval.

"Just do the scans and upload the data! I'm getting a good look down here to get my bearing." Kaimana replied with a coo before diving into the swell. She cut through the water like a knife, her large almond-shaped eyes a dark, starry swirl of joy. It was beautiful down here. Untouched. With a medley of colors that would overwhelm the senses.

A broad toothy grin and the Nautolan continued her swim. She wouldn't be too far from Makai Dashiell or Brooke Waters , so if they wanted to shank each other, they could. Kaimana was just too busy enjoying her swim.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

Was there an ocean version of a shrug? Being less than half-Galan, he had lost the ability to speak underwater. As far he knew, his mother and that side of the family all could. Too far mixed with human lineage at this point and frankly the most important piece for him was being able to breathe. Everything else was just an add-on feature.

He made the universal cut across his throat and pointed to the surface, kicking up. As soon as he broke the surface, head shook akin to an overgrown kathhound pup, shaggy hair spraying droplets everywhere. Eyes narrowed at the other aquatic - he hadn't encountered many that had looked like him before, even on the planet of Gala.

Out of the corner of his eye he could have sworn he saw a Nautolan. Hopefully they weren't paired up with this crazed blonde. Why did he have the knack to piss off every woman that crossed his path? Had to be a skill at this point.

"Easy. I'm not here to ruin the ocean. What are you doing here? A lot of weapons for someone just swimming around."

Brooke Waters | Kaimana Vun

 

[Brooke Waters]

To the outside observer, she was armed. To her, it was hunting and protection. She had her lightsaber pike/spear was there to fight anything that was bigger than her and her Force abilities. Her speargun was to hunt for food, or bind something to the ground so she could escape. Both could be equally threatening. Her brown eyes had to calm down from the Magick infused blue when she saw Makai being a bit less intense. With him making the motions, he looked stressed.

Following him to the surface, she dropped the pike so that it hung off her hip. The Witch shook the water from her hair.

“Its part of my process. I’m exploring, hunting…” The Witch didn’t want to expand too much on everything she was doing here, about how much it meant for her Clan. But she didn’t want to be seen as someone who was going to be fighting everyone for anything.

“I’m cataloging worlds in this region. What are you doing here?” She did have an eye on the Natoulan, but she was focused on this other hybrid.

Makai Dashiell Kaimana Vun

 

[Kaimana Vun]

Brooke Waters Makai Dashiell

By now, even Kaimana could hear the aquatic pair's squabbling once she broke the surface. Water had a keen way of projecting sounds. Those wide, almond shaped starflecked moon eyes blinked over in their direction. With the friendly and likely senseless action, Kaimara gave a sudden wave and shouted out.

"Oi! How's it goin'!? " the broad grin across her jade face split it in two. Without regard on danger, she began to swim over.

" Dhis water is perfect! Great for swimming... saw down dha shoreline a great place to take the surf and get some time on those waves." As she drew closer, she saw one wet shaggy, mopped humanoid and another blonde, female. Both seemed to be in a heavy discussion.

"Ahm Kaimana. Ya'll here with Salacia or Arceneau Trade?" She asks plainly, as that is who she'd been expecting round these parts.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

"I'm here on business."

Makai didn't say what type. Blonde-Hair was apparently doing part of her 'process', whatever that was supposed to mean. He wasn't going to inquire and thankfully he was saved by a friendly Nautolan. Now Blonde-Hair was going to have to kill them both if she wanted to continue her process of 'hunting and exploring' - not that he felt in any danger. The objects that could easily be used as weapons gave pause however.

Nautolan arrived on the scene, stating her name and just striking up conversation.

"Makai.Here with Salacia. What about you?"

Brows furrowed at the mention of the water.

"Odd brackish feel to me, but no complaints. Like it doesn't know if it wants to be lake water or ocean water."

Brooke Waters | Kaimana Vun

 

[Brooke Waters]

Business. That sounded pretty serious. Granted, she discussed how she was in a process. Could it all be a different bit of work? Maybe he was an explorer, looking for a place to call home, or he could be after the world for what it offered. She wasn’t about to start fighting with this one, that wasn’t part of her process, but if she knew someone was going to be doing damage to a planet like this? She was going to have to come back with some help.

“Fair. Seems we’re both similar.”

With the addition of the Natoulan, Brooke turned for a look.

“I’m Brooke. Lets say free lance for now?” She didn’t need to unload on them that she was here for a Witch Clan and was looking for Blue Corals. She could pass as an Echani if no one paid that close of attention.

“And it is a wonderful planet. Great seas, and it just feels refreshing… Didn't catch the beach, near where we landed?"

“Whats the Trade Company’s interest out here?”

She knew that company from her time with Bright Star.

Makai Dashiell Kaimana Vun

 

[Kaimana Vun]

Oh, so one was from Salacia? Could that be her contact? Kaimana's broad grin turned to a Nexu smile. "Oi, grand! Aym 'posed to touch base wi' ya!" she told Makai Dashiell . Being a humble researcher, she didn't realize that it was the heir to Salacia Consolidated.

Ever one not to worry about risk, she began swimming over to the pair to get closer. "Ahnd ah freelancer, ehy? Yous a researcher o' scientist?" as for Brooke Waters 's question about what the Trade Company's interest is here.

"Oh, doin' research on improvin' decontamination o'worlds. There be word dhat dhem corals here might 'elp out with othha whater whorlds. Maybe even improve dha atmosphere or soil decontaminating"

She caught sight of the spear under the water at Brooke's hip. "Oh, good fishin' dhen?"

Now Kaimana was very interested!

 

[Makai Dashiell]

"Oh, you're Kaimana? I'm sorry, the day got away from me, I saw some fossilized corals and that was it."

Makai probably shouldn't be unsupervised around rocks or fossils or various ores if he was supposed to be keeping a schedule. He had been surprised Thirty-Seven hadn't constantly reminded him about what person he was supposed to meet and when. Perhaps it had been a test or maybe the droid wasn't getting a stable connection to the Dark Net this far out.

"I haven't gotten any samples yet of the coral, sorry. Got distracted and then potentially speared by our fellow aquatic friend."

He looked back to the blonde.

"Looking to possibly grow this coral elsewhere too?"

Brooke Waters | Kaimana Vun

 

[Brooke Waters]

We had two different water wanderers now. Well two beyond her. That was fine. And it didn’t seem that they were here to cause problems. Hopefully they weren’t about to lie and cause some big problems. She worked for a small company but her biggest concern was moving more witches around the galaxy. Keeping them away from the Alliance or Sith Empire, or Nightsisters.

Or the Scissorfists. The violent of the seaside witch clans.

She nodded as she looked at the Natoulan. “Yeah, good fishing. Don’t know some of the species but they have that smell to them of good eating.” More she was logging the Blue Corals for her Clan and ensuring that they could even grow here.

“And I was not hunting him. I’m not one who eats sentients.” Not like a Karkarodon. “And grow them? If it can save the species…” Corals were so sensitive and fickle.

Makai Dashiell Kaimana Vun

 

[Kaimana Vun]

"Oh, no problem. Can go now and dhen check out what dhere is ta fish." happy that was taken care of, and again oblivious to any potential tension, Kaimana added, "So, wanna go dhere now? Can set up dha sensors, ahn sample collectors. Just need to see what sort of procreation dhey have. Would make it easy if dhere dha budding type. Fragmentation would be a little more difficult. Will need ta gather data on optimal growth environment."

A wider grin. "well, glad ta know we ain't dha fish you lookin' to spear."

Around that time, Ay-Kay's voice carried over to them. There he was, out by the shallows, gesturing wildly.

[ Exclamation: Please be careful. Warning: Sensors have picked up a large creature nearby. Preliminary life scan data indicates similarities to saberfish. ]

 

[Makai Dashiell]

"Yeah, we can go now. Probably wise I get some work done before getting completely distracted. Try to figure out how delicate these corals are before we get totally attached to the idea. Might have to construct special tanks for transport."

The Nautolan seemed easy going compared to the Blonde as they all spoke. Makai was thankful for that, especially if they had to work on this coral project together.

"Please be careful? More like time to swim out of here. Or...if you're good with that speargun. Otherwise its about to get real interesting for all of us on this little adventure."

Getting a move on was wise, yet leaving two women in his bubble trail in a dangerous wasn't exactly becoming of a gentleman.

Brooke Waters | Kaimana Vun

 

[Brooke Waters]

Corals were important. Brooke was always going to support the growth of corals. And going fishing? With other aquatics? It’d been some time. She’d seen a few people who were interested in the coastal worlds, but were not born of them like she was. The blonde nodded. “I mean, I do have some polyps. My ship has a small lab to grow corals, if you are needing that kind of help you get an idea.” She shrugged and looked to the others.

“And well, there are food fish and friend fish.” A smirk.

“Got a few more tricks than the spear gun too!”

Makai Dashiell Kaimana Vun

 

[Kaimana Vun]

Kaimana was glad that they all seemed to be on the same page. The Nautolan female dunked under the water only to come back up again, needing the refresher.

"Whell, dhen, how 'bout we take a survey o' dha corals for awur own research," Kaimana pointed to Makai Dashiell and herself, 'Dhen, we check out what kinda coral growin' system you have. Would be nice to see what sort o rig you go. You make it yerself o' buy outright?"

It was always interesting to see what other Aquatics would do. Coral budding or attempting to farm oceanic resources like their kind was as normal as picking seeds and saving them.

"More eyes to keep a look out. Got anythin' to protect yourself with?" she looked at Makai since Brooke Waters had her spear, although she was curious, turning back to Brooke, "What other tricks you 'ave?"