“Dust to Dust” (Open)

Thecomicbookbroad

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Scrolls mouth twitched and he moved forward, leaving his guards behind. He came close to Ares, seeing his shadowy reflection in the bounty hunter’s visor.

“The worst kind…” He said and he gestured to one of the turbaned guards who removed his cover,

His skin was covered in blisters that wept blood and puss.

“You should see what happens to humans.” The unmasked Zeltron said.

“Unless you’re a twi’lek beneath that mask-” Scroll said with a tired smile. “I don’t suggest you remove it any time soon.” his hand began to shake and he strained to overcome it before continuing. The whites of his eyes were pink and crusty, dry and sore with the stains of dark tears streaking his cheeks.


--------------------------------------------------

“Scroll is the man who ordered the medicine!” Evie exclaimed , annoyed.

“There is NO company! The delivery-” she turned to Blake for confirmation, “was ordered by a settlement not far from here, Scroll is their translator- their leader. The man who contacted both of us.”

Ashes walked with her head turned to the Valley in the distance, she gasped and shortened the separation between herself and the group when she spotted strange creatures flying over head in its trenches- They were like nothing she’d ever seen before with long slender necks and a massive wing span. She said nothing, no one else seemed to notice the monsters.


-------------------------------------------------


The Drexl were swarming the valley, their jaws hanging and dripping thick saliva from dry cottony mouths. They were parched and tortured. Some fell dead from the sky while others struggled and fell exhausted on the ground below.

It was time, they thirsted, just a moment longer and they would have their feast.
 
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T.J

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Ares looked back to Shawn, who had no from of disease preventing device aronud his mouth or face. He shrugged and spoke.

" Guess your screwed mate." He said with a slight chuckle. he regained his serious composure looking back towards the men.

" I'm looking for a guild member. Zabrak. Female. Goes by the name Stasha Evie. You wouldnt by any chance have happened see her come through here? Have you? Its very important that we find her."
 

Thecomicbookbroad

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Scroll lowered his chin and his brow furrowed, expecting conflict.

“Ah yes…gold eyes? Pale?” he paused as his men looked to one another and chuckled at the mention of the female hunter. They silenced and he continued.

“ We hired her not long ago- she’s on a mission…in the plains.” Scroll said.
 

Gabora

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"By company I mean the people who made, sold and shipped the medicine. They didn't want to have to pay a refund so they hired me to acquire it." She said in a harsh and loud voice causing a little more static to come from her com than usual. "I'm cheaper" she said to herself.
"How did your sister die, Ms. Evie?" Samar said not noticing the deadly creatures above them. She was obviously trying to piss her off.
 

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Ares shifted his eyes to look at the two men flanking the one speaking to him, not moving his helmet so he would draw suspicion.

" Yes thats the one." His voice conveyed no emotion, it was only cold and metallic.

" You know there was a caravan attacked not to far from here. Stasha was apart of it. Now tell me.... How did she end up in your care? " Ares knew that this village had something to do with the raid on the caravan, and probably were the cause of Stasha's disappearence. He didnt want to jump to conclusions though, so he decided to probe the man for information.
 

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Evie spat.

“Want me to show you?” she said sickeningly sweet to the armored mercenary. She didn’t appreciate the uncalled for and personal mention of Eeicia from a stranger.

turning fiercely she shouted at the Twi'lek.

"I said stay back!" she growled, pushing the girl by her shoulder to distance her.

--------------------------------


Scroll gestured towards the settlement in the rock wall.

“We found her down river, nearly drowned. Her Slave was the only one conscious and so we took them both into our care. Miss Evie fell ill shortly after unfortunately…” he said coldly.

"But praise the stars she was a bounty hunter- we were in great need of the services she so ...readily had available. We ordered some stock not long ago you see and I regret to report that the ship carrying the medicine we so desperately need crashed. Stasha went out to retrieve it."
 

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" How wonderfully convenient. " Ares said sarcasticlly.

" Are you telling me...that you sent one. one! Person into the wilderness of Onderon? With a...slave?" Ares paused for a moment trying to contain his anger.

" And dont you give me that. We're all sick crap. You people know these hills better than anyone. You could at least sent a guide with her!" Ares sighed, he brought his voice level back down to normal as he spoke again.

" Just point me in the direction she went. Ill be back to talk to you later."
 

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"I'd like to see you try" Samar said kindly but in a mocking sort of way.
"And why do you keep pushing that little girl around? Its doesn't take a Jedi to tell she wants to be with you. Be nice to the little thing and she will thank you afterwords."
"Also I'm not a mercenary, I'm a bounty hunter." She searched the words on her electronic dictionary in her view screen and said "A mercenary is a professional soldier, wile a bounty hunter is a person who hunts outlaws or wild animals for the bounty offered for capturing or killing them or a person who seeks a reward for recovering valuable property."
 
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Thecomicbookbroad

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“Take off that helmet and say that- I’m protecting your sorry shebs!” Evie snarled.

“You’re a human beneath that ridiculous costume I can smell it.…Mother forgive me but I bet if I cracked open that shell you’d be as delicate and weak beneath as any other soft palmed basic speaker!”

She lowered her voice when she saw Ashes visible distress at the whole situation. Turning back to the hunter she added with a sinister whisper of contempt:

“I’d eat you alive….”

------------------------

Scroll looked angry. He didn’t like to be made a fool of and his patience wore thin.

“ I couldn’t send any more of my men.” He said with a face of stone.

“She’s in the plains.” he turned to leave.

“That’s the last I’ve heard. Go south."
 

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" Ill be back to discuss this with you...later." Ares said as he turned to leave. His pace was slow at first but somewhat quickened as he got out of the villagers line of sight. He wanted to get back to the Pride as quickly as possible. He had a feeling something bad was about to happen.
 

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"Do I have your word?" Samar said cutely. "I would take it off but I don't want to catch what you got. Not the disease that been going around but that other thing you have." Samar insulted to her. She really didn't like her now and was almost ready to blow her leg off.
 

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“Ha!” Evie exclaimed puffing out her lips and swaying her hips.

“Sweetie, you’d never be so lucky…” she said with a grin. “It’s something you’re born with.”

Ashes coughed, hacking up blood that stained the bounty hunter’s pointed boot.

“Dammit girl! “ The Zabrak growled. “If I go all the way to Coruscant’s market after this and the slave trader I plan on getting very acquainted with tells me you are worthless-”

She shut her mouth.

She had a gotten an unexpected reaction.


“I-I’m not worthless” The twi’lek sniveled, wiping her eyes as they were flooded with tears. She had obviously heard the word enough times to know its meaning.

“I am not w-worthless!”

Evie felt her heart shrink in her chest. She hadn’t meant a word she’d said. Knowing the girl couldn’t understand her had made it easy to let harsh vocabulary slip and her venting had become bullying. She felt stupid and mean for being a grown woman and making a little girl cry with her feelings hurt.

Stasha got on bended knee and reached for the girl’s quivering frame.

Oh….I’m sorry, sweetheart.” She said guiltily. Her eyes shifted to avoid the visible pain she’d caused.

Ashes recoiled from her touch.

“Look, I’m not your Mommy.” Evie began again, taking the girl’s shoulders in her hands and turning her to face forward.

“ I’m your master and that’s one up- you belong with me now and I know that’s not always the best place to be…” She trailed off as the light crush of Ashes’ body pressed against her. She accepted, squeezing her tight.

“I’m sorry for making you cry, I didn’t meant it.” She may not have known much about twi’leks but the Zabrak knew a thing or two about being a little girl who’d been dealt a bad hand.

“I promise the next time it’ll be tears of joy ok?” She said, wiping the tears from the child’s midnight blue cheeks. She smiled showing her sharp canines and wiped her own nose with her thumb, the firelight behind her giving her pale candle white skin an orange glow.

She stood, looked at the woman who’d she been arguing with and turned from her with her nose raised.

“I don’t have time for this, we have to get this done.”
 

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Blake had been listening to the ladies' bitchfight, amuzed.

"Evie is right. There's no bloody company. Just some damn medical supply thing that was contacted by Scroll. Look, armored lady, I don't trust you."

He then wanted to move on but the little girl began to cry. He looked down on her and smiled. He did not say anything though.

"C'mon, ya'll. We're wasting time. The crashsite is right up ahead."

He moved on towards the crashsite.

When they finally got there the old Devaronian jumped up and ran over to Blake. "Zeth!" he shouted. "What the hell's going-" he silenced as he saw Evie, the armored stranger and the Twi'lek girl.

"I picked them up in the wilds. If that Twi'lek girl hadn't warned me, the pretty Zabrak lady there would be not as pretty... I dunno who the armored lady is, but she's talking things about some kind of company."

The Devaronian nodded. "Whatever." he simply said and he gestured for Blake to follow him.

When they stood just as far so Evie nor the armored stranger nor the girl could hear them, Zin the Devaronian asked: "What exactely happened to Suu and the medicine?"

"Suu's dead." Blake said. "I got the medicine right here in my pack. Look, Zin, I'm sorry but I had to go after him. Otherwise it could screw everything up."

"It's ok, Blake." Zin replied. "The others and I have made plans to start traveling to the village."

"You did?" Blake was surprised.

"Yeah. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Zin walked over to the three females and said: "I suppose you'll be coming with us? We'll leave tomorrow morning for the village. You'd better stay close. Just remember, I lead this mission and Blake is my commander. I'm not saying I'll be giving you orders, it's just so you know. You'd better get some sleep now."

He gestured to the females to follow him and he walked over to the shipwreck in which they had set up a base. He showed them a place to sleep, apart from the men, and then walked back to his men.

Blake did not go inside the ship, he stood outside staring in front of him. He had a bad feeling about this.
 

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The night was freezing.

Evie gladly excepted the crew’s company and readied herself for bed without speaking to her roommate.

Instead she turned from prying eyes and brought back out the solitary syringe from earlier that evening. She was pleased to find it still held precious medicine intact. It was useless to her, herself. As Scroll had claimed, the bodies of Zabraks didn’t register the dose in the same way humans…Or twi’leks did.

“Ashes.” She called, giving the girl a wiggly-fingered wave.

The girl obeyed cautiously. Stasha quickly seized her before the slave could protest and wedged her with her forearms locked around her middle and the opposite arm across her chest. She quickly administered the remedy and released the girl who wriggled from her grasp.

“Ah…” Evie cursed under her breath, the needle had fallen to the dirt and could no longer be used. It was dirtied by the twi’lek yes, but it could have been still utilized… Evie disposed of it as best she could and laid down her head to rest, Ashes creeping back to her side and shifting until she found comfort

And finally sleep.


---------------------------------------------


As the sun bathed the land in gold the Drexl began to stir. The moment would soon be upon them, they lay in wait, ready and willing to do what it took to survive or die trying.

There was nothing left for them to lose, a simple enough instinct for any being driven by a fundamental need.
 

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Samar walked out side wearing only one piece of her armor, the helmet, and a slightly thick shirt and shorts. She kept the helmet on for two reasons, she didn't want to catch what was going around and she was scared of the dark. she wandered around the camp till she found a secluded place. In her pocket she took out the boma tusk and was admiring it.
 

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Doesn’t seem I’ll miss much boss, have fun at your meeting I’ll meet you back at the ship, since I have no hazmat protection."

Shawn made it back to the ship and started sorting equipment for worse case situations, getting heavy wepons ready, and getting the rest of his gear in check.

A hour and a half latter Ares returned to the ship

So boss what’s the situation?” Shawn said as he watched Ares come back to the ship, while he finished loading “please tell me I was right and it’s something small not to worried about, and we can just swoop down pick her up and go home?” Shawn then coughed heavily a few times and tasted Iron and when he took his hand away he saw blood on it. “This can’t be good.” Showing his hand to Ares.
 

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Blake then turned around and entered the shipwreck. "Zin, I'm gonna get some sleep." he said before entering the ship.

"Do that." the Devaronian replied.

He then walked over to his bed and prepared to sleep.

OOC: Is it ok if we skip the entire night and jump to the early morning and begin our journey to the village?
 

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" That would be whatevers plauging these people Shawn. I'm going to reiterate that you put some creds away for an airtight suit. They really come in handy." Ares said as he lowered the ramp to the Precious Pride.

" They sent her out into the wilderness...alone. To go get the medicine for said disease. Its due south from here, so thats where we're heading. Buckle up." He spoke as he walked ot the cockpit and sat in the pilots chair. Waiting for Shawn to get onboard before shutting the hatch and lifting off.

The freighter shot off into the early morning sky, the sun had just started peaking over the horizen. Ares flew way faster than the speed limit on planet was, getting there before the really big beasties did was top priority. Because of his speed, he was unable to really do anything when he flew headlong into a swarm of Drexl's that came up out of the canopy below. One impacted the bow of his starship, ripping the frail creature apart as the metal craft screamed through the mass of animals.

Off to the west, he could see a large plume of smoke. A fire had been buring out of control for what looked like several hours. Ares cirlced close to it and flew back towards the swarm of Drexl, seeing a downed craft not to far from their location. He decreased his speed and prepared to fire, not wanting a hungry pack of animals to beat him there.
 

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OOC: Alright then

IC: The next morning Blake woke up. He yawned and quickly dressed himself and equipped his two blasters.

He left the shipwreck and Zin was already up and ready to move on.

"Blake." he said. "You will lead the mercs, as you are supposed to do. When we get there, you guys protect the medicine at all costs, because I'm sure that when those villagers find out that there's a medicine, they will rush at it and try to steal it."

"Sure thing." Blake said. "We'll protect that medicine."

He walked over to the other mercs and chatted with them. They waited for the women to wake up.
 

Thecomicbookbroad

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((right o big skip to the action))

The next morning as the crew traveled through the valley the ambush was sprung. With Blake at its head Evie took up amongst the middle goers anxiously awaiting their arrival at the settlement.

The Drexl took to the sky like a massive murder of crows against the sun and reined from the heavens onto the valley and its travelers

Evie looked to the sky with a stagger, she dropped Ashes from her shoulders and screamed to her half asleep ward:

“Ashes! My rifle!”

Just as the words left her mouth one of the creatures touched down with a blood thirsty cry the others mimicked in an eerie echo directed skyward.

The beast swiped a thick muscled arm at the crew and its brethren descended, devil’s dressed in purple scales attacking the men. Hungry mouth’s hung upon the Drexl’s long necks with snapping jaws filled with teeth the size of human arms - they were merciless and starving. Evie grabbed her closest weapon and pressed to the rock wall, handing Ashes a gun.

“Use it if you need to!” she growled.

One Drexl struck her hold out and sent bits of rock and sand showering the bounty hunter as she fell to the floor.

Grabbing her slug thrower she was dragged and flung upward, in one of the gorgon’s talons. Suspended upside down she struggled, firing where ever she could reach and wary of the growing distance of her fall.

She could See Ashes disappear in the rubble for safety.

One of the creatures crawled about the ground , crushing one set of medication and seeking blood, it faced Blake, ready for it…either his or its own.
 
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