Ask Jungle Fever

[Rath Jell]

Dxun


Rath's ship descended down to the now abandoned beast riders outpost. His previous mission to Onderon put him in possession of a Drexl egg. He had begun researching the creature and this Onderonian moon was where they originated. A group from Onderon was able to tame and ride the beasts into battle, this outpost was from a group wanting to tame more of the moons dangerous fauna. The ship landed with a slight thud the Mandalorian spun around in his chair walking to the cargo area. He looked at the egg he had strapped into a seat it's potential intrigued him. He looked around the interior of his ship noting before the beast is an adult he would need a bigger ship.

Walking off his ship only carrying his beskar beskads and dual blasters he switched on his thermal mode. He scanned the area not wanting to become some predators next meal. He did a quick perimeter check around the landing area. After not seeing anything out of the ordinary he made his way back towards a nearby building. He leaned up against a wall looking up to the sky. He had called in some back up although he doubted she would show up for a jungle expedition. It was the only contact he'd made recently, something he needed to remedy. His lack of fellow Mandalorians was his biggest gripe. He would've preferred one of them for something this dangerous, but beggars can't be choosers as he was finding out.

@LadyRen​

 

[Maeve]

When John the Buckethead (that what how he was saved as a contact in her EzPhone) messaged her, she had first assumed he was looking for a weak excuse to arrange a second date. He was supposedly stuck with an egg on a jungle world. Surely, Maeve's adventurous spirit and curiosity was immediately piqued, but she had remained suspicious until he had sent the scan of said egg.

So there was an egg...why she was chosen as the eggs-pert for backup she didn't know, but it sounded more than intriguing, so she started her journey to Dxun. She was already clad in a jungle-ready outfit: a tight fitting pair of brownish pants, a dark green top and her equipment strapped to her thighs.

The coordinates were literally in the middle of the jungle already, so right before disembarkation, she spayed herself with loads of bug repellent just in case. It made her cough for a moment, but once she had caught her breath again, she slammed the button of the ramp and walked out. "Hey there, stranger", the playful smirk was on her lips right away as she approached the Mandalorian.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

Rath watched as the ship made its way down. He began rescanning the area as it touched down. Checking for any movement in the brush, he had learned as a foundling the dangers of wildlife. His "backup" if it could be considered that came walking up to him same playful smirk. It was obvious his company wasn't experienced in the wild. A fact made even more noticeable by the wall of bug repellent he smelt as she got closer.

"Well if bugs were our worry I think we would be in the clear. Did you have to bathe in that stuff it will draw out predators." He wouldn't mention it burning his nose as well. He never met her gaze continuously scanning looking around. His research on the planet listed predators he would rather avoid especially if it was one of the Drexl. His hands rested on his swords instead of his blasters like normal. He then turned away from her and towards the building. "I believe the intel we will need is in there. If you want I'll pay you now whether you stay the full trip or leave early." He knew she wasn't one to work for free but he also had to show her he trusted her enough so she may be more open to follow directions from him.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Not the warm welcome she expected, and the subtle criticism made her roll her eyes for a moment. "Is that so? And here I thought the bitter smell would tarnish my tasty human meat smell for predators", she argued, actually pretty sure it was better she smelt like chems than a walking snack. "I don't have a layer of metal covering me after all".

She wasn't entirely sure why he was tense, but there was clearly something going on. Why was he so on edge already? She slightly tilted her head to the side and studied him intently as he offered payment in advance. Yes, she was potentially risking her life here, but she was also counting on his artillery to keep her somewhat safe.

"You know I usually always take an advance payment", she replied, still with a smirk written on her lips. "So yeah why not. I'm afraid I won't make it out without you though", she admitted, however obviously grateful about the payment. It was some kind of insurance...they'd probably gain more here, but for now it was a good start to keep her motivated.

"Alright, I'll follow your lead", she then shrugged, one hand casually reaching for her blasted and the other toying with a smoke grenade - just in case, obviously. She had done her research on what roamed around here, but her real life wildlife encounters were restricted to a few exotic pets, so she wasn't surely sure what to expect. "Have you been here before?", she curiously wanted to know as she trailed alongside him, still relatively unbothered.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

Her response left him dumbfounded. "Most predators understand their hunting grounds well. Any difference or change would draw some form of curiosity." He finally turned to look at her. He looked her up and down after her comment on her lack of armor. "Well you aren't wearing much in protection at all. Make sure you stay close to me I'll be able to protect you. Same deal as last time if I say run I want you to run." He began scanning again still nothing on the thermals. Yet it was too quite for a jungle.

As he scanned he pulled out a credit stick and tossed it to her. "Don't be against leaving me behind. Dying in battle protecting another is the best way for a Mandalorian to die." As always his primary concern was the well being of the others in the mission. He never cared about being a sacrificial lamb, he was taught it was his duty as a member of his clan. Plus he knew how to survive in the wild. She on the other hand was unknown on that front for him.

Though she had seemed to have taken it seriously, her relaxed demeanor made him uneasy. "No I haven't till today, but I've researched the wildlife and it seems dangerous." He looked over to her, as he walked towards the building. "Don't be too reckless now, I need you alive." They reached an overgrown door and the Mandalorian looked it over. Activating his flamethrower he burned away the vines showing an old door. He tried to pry it open to no avail. "You don't happen to have a way to open this do you?" Looking defeated at his lack of being prepared.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

With her small wildlife experience, she actually had to rely on his input. She had familiarized herself with part of the flora and fauna, but she simply wasn't fully sure..."Fair", she thus threw in as he mentioned the change of odor in the air, however not missing the look he gave her outfit.

Obviously, she wasn't prepared for such jobs, but she was curious anyway. As he continued though, it actually annoyed her a bit that he basically saw her as a liability, but she guessed it was still better when he though she was relatively helpless, as this meant she'd have a second pair of eyes watching out for her.

"Isn't running bad as predators will just see it as a cue to start chasing?", she still pointed out, voicing it in a rather playfully challenging way as she smirked up at him. "But alright, Commander Buckethead. Thank you for watching out for me". Despite the subtle teasing, what permeated her voice was gratefulness.

She still didn't understand how he managed to be like that, but it seemed like they still had time to continue their chat. "So does your codex dictate you to be sacrificial?", she wanted to know his actual motifs as she wasn't entirely sure whether it was just him being chivalrous.

"I'm not reckless", she met his gaze with a rather fierce determination, simply not understanding what the fuss was about. There was nothing near them, it seemed, just the building ahead and he immediately tried carving a path without her even knowing what exactly they were after. She kept watch while he worked until he stopped, asking for help.

She checked the door, figured cracking it was not an option but as she walked around to the side a little, she spotted an opening. Pointing upwards, she then said, "Nope, but a way in", before she already hopped onto the first boulder on ground. She then basically had to place her feet carefully, but as some stones stood out, the wall could be climbed rather easily and the opening wasn't very high up. "You coming?"

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

She questioned the logic of him telling her to run although her point was valid. "It would be hard for it to chase you while it's dealing with me. Also I'm not a commander yet, my military career hasn't blossomed that much." She asked about a codex of some kind forcing him to sacrifice himself. A small chuckle escaped him, "Is it so hard to believe that I want to simply protect you. To answer your question though no I'm not beholden to a code for this but I was raised to do so. I never said you were reckless just warned you not to be."

He watched her climb the rocks and followed her onto the boulder. He looked over to the opening in the wall. "Need a hand?" He asked jumping onto the wall and climbed into the opening. Reaching his hand out for her to grab. After she joined him in he would scan around. "We need to find any information this place has on the local fauna. I'm specifically looking for info on Drexl's but anything would be useful." He would then check the room they were in for any form of documentation.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

He didn't get the joke and she couldn't help but wonder whether because he was so on edge, he was even more a square than last time. It wasn't his natural terrain, she guessed and it wasn't hers either. Yet while she seemed to enjoy starting a little banter, he barely managed to even look at her without tensing up more.

"I'll still call you that, Commander", she playfully teased, intending to get him off his edge somehow as she wasn't in the mood for seriousness just yet. Was it hard it believe? Yes. For Maeve absolutely. For Kate perhaps a little more believable, but still not that obvious. "Seems like you were raised right, then", she retunred right after, however obviously not knowing much about that. For her, being raised right meant to survive. Not to look out for others, but it was good to know that he was at least somewhat truthworthy still.

Perhaps she was a little reckless, but right now she didn't saw the need to remain vigilant. She accepted the hand he offered, knowing it saved her some resources and hopped in right after. She drew her blaster just in case as she began stepping over the stoney ground, her gaze scanning their surroundings with a bit more care. "Drexl...those dragon things. Why do you think they'd keep records here? And also, why don't you just sell the egg?", she asked, wondering whether he had also considered hatching before.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

He was shifting through the desks in the room finding nothing of importance. One hand staying on his sword as he did so. He eventually stopped and looked at her. "The people who built this outpost tamed and rode them. They were also looking into other creatures to potentially tame. I didn't sell the egg because I want to hatch and raise it." He then forced open the door that lead further into the building.

As he did some birds from outside flew away and out of their perches. The forest fell silent once again, he ushered her into the building cracking the door almost closing it. Turning around to an open area with multiple doorways. He looks around the room trying to see if he spots anything to which he doesn't. "We'll start at the closest room and working our way down the group." Heading to the first door, as he goes to open it a creature began clawing at the door behind them. It was about to breakthrough Rath got the door opened and shoved Kate into it drawing his swords and standing in the way.

rolled 3/20 on going unnoticed
@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Maeve wasn't sure whether she liked the idea of venturing in further, but as he started explaining his plan, her eyes widened a little. "That...sounds cool", she had to admit, but what she realized was that a tamed, grown creature was probably even worth more.

Why he had considered her as fit company, she really didn't know yet, but as he opened the door she kept her blaster ready. They approached the first door and before it was fully opened, he suddenly shoved her in and blocked her view. She did immediately move to the side, slightly annoyed by the shove, but her eyes soon finding the huge lizard cat thing.

Her eyes immediately widened in shock as she suddenly realized that his caution hadn't been all that exaggerated, apperently. The creature hungrily studied them, already ready to pounce, yet before it did, Maeve shot - not a blaster bolt, but a stunning bolt that collided with the animal and knocked it out.

"WHAT...THE FUCK", she still managed to keep her voice down, but it was a shocked whisper. Despite not wanting to panic, it suddenly dawned her that if they were about to actually deal with more of those, she was screwed.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

Rath had fallen into a defensive stance. The beast was about to pounce on him, when a bolt shot from behind him. The beast was struck and went limp from the shot. "Good shot, I appreciate the help." He walked over to finish the beast off. His sword coming down on the beasts neck.

Just as his blade finished off the beast another one arrived. He didn't realize this development until t was too late. The beast stalked it's prey waiting for him to drop his guard. As he turned around to head back it caught him completely off guard. The beast pounced on him, he tried to raise his weapon up to counter it as it pounced but he was too late. All kate would see is her valiant Mandalorian defender slide back infront of the door with another creature trying to crack his helmet like a nut. He was trying to maneuver his swords to stab it but the were both caught under it's feet.

Got that there was one more and rolled 4/20 on defending against it.
@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Maeve's heat kept picking up the pace while her muscles involuntarily tensed up. "Sure...you're welcome", and she expected a raise, if that was how this was going to be. "What was that thing?!", she still whispered, however truly wondered. She was certain she didn't want to meet such a thing again, but before she had even finished the thought, a second beats appeared out of nowhere, ruthlessly attacking the armored Mandalorian.

Kate flipped the switch on her blaster and aimed, knowing a stun bolt would be to risky as it simply wasn't precise enough, but as the beast was immediately all around the Mandalorian, even regular blaster bolts weren't that safe - as she figured his Beskar would save him from the worst, she swiftly jumped over to the side and aimed for the beast's head.

One shot hit, but it let out a furious snarl, the second hit, leaving a smoking wound right at its head, but it still didn't stop, until she hit the third. This all happened with very few seconds, so that the beast sacked together motionlessly before she rushed over and yanked it off him. "Can we...please not flip roles like that again?". Even if she didn't plan on admitting it, she was scared enough now. Dying in the jungle suddenly didn't seem so tempting anymore.

Roll 17/20 - can't believe she is saving the day lol

 

[Rath Jell]

The Mandalorian was pinned under the creature. All he could see through his visor was the inside of its maw as it viciously chewed on his helmet. The only relief he had was that it was made of metal preventing the beast from puncturing it. The beast then released its hold on him a screech escaping its lungs as it tumbled down dead.

As she rolled off the beast the Mandalorian remained still his mind going through various memories and thoughts. One prevalent thought was that he failed in his duty. He let his guard down and paid for it. He was drawn back into the fold by the question of his companion. “Well at least your a good shot. I’ll try not to be caught off guard like that again.”

Suddenly the forest erupted with sounds. They was something coming towards them and it was not happy. Rath jumped up and began looking around the room till he settled on a hallway. “Run down that hallway I’ll follow behind you. We need a bottleneck of some kind. I believe our pets family isn’t too keen on it being dead.” He would follow behind her watching the doorway to the outside where so far there was no movement but that could change momentarily.

Rolled a 2/20 on if something heard them fml
@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

It seemed like he was rather unscathed underneath the armor as no biting marks had actually managed to penetrate the beskar...it was a truly admirable metal, but this wasn't the time to get carried away. As he didn't stir for a moment, she wondered whether he was hurt, but she soon learned that he was in fact just embarrassed, perhaps even a little humiliated.

She was about to catch her breath and offer him a hand, yet they were immediately interrupted by the next rumble. "Ok. So we now know maybe this planet simply isn't a great idea per se", she sighed as she met his visor with her gaze, reluctantly nodding at his order.

She began running, literally just wanting to get the fuck out of here. Her gaze attentively scanned the path ahead, and as she passed book that casually rested on a shelf, she grabbed it. "We need to leave!", she declared as the rumbling came closer, panic washing over her. She hated this planet already and she had no intentions of staying too long.

She kept running, until the corridor grew much more narrow, and passing the next shelf, she said, "help me move it!", perhaps they could use the old, rotten furniture to at least break the predators' line of sight.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

Rath took off running after her. As he was about to enter the hallway he turned and spotted two more of the beasts coming through the door. Before turning he would notice one of the beasts stopping to investigate the dead ones while the other immediately took up the chase. He followed kate through the hallway he could hear the beast closing in. As she stopped to try and knock down the shelf she would see the Mandalorian followed by a beast.

Dropping down and sliding along the ground he used his sword to cut part of the shelving's legs. Grabbing her in the process orienting himself to face the beast as it barely made it through the falling shelf. He would push her off of him as the beast leapt for them igniting his jetpack and flying into the beast. She would hear a screech as the two collided and fell to the ground. Neither the Mandalorian or the beast stirred. While he was able to spear the beast with his swords and slice open the beast's gut, he also suffered a wound to his side where his armor didn't cover one of the claws digging into him. The Mandalorian simply relaxed his body unsure of how he laid in the creature's dead embrace.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

The longer she was on this planet, the more she hated it. The humidity started to weigh her down. As she went for the shelf, her Mandalorian companion followed after her, however he shoved her onwards while he launched himself into the predator. Her instict was to run, but she found herself frozen, until the beast stopped stirring.

"Are you-", what a dumb question. Neither of them was alright. But all she had in mind was to get the fuck out. She climber over what remained of the shelf and once again freed him of the massive body. It was quite a struggle for her to remove the predator, but once again the Mandalorian would be free.

"I found a book. Perhaps that's it. Ancient records or whatever. We can't stay here. Can we please get to the ships". She was breathing heavily still, her hands shaking a little. She couldn't deny the beasts had something mesmerizing too, but there was no time to stare at them in awe.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

Rath was entangled with the dead beast. He could smell its insides as they poured over him. Suddenly the beast stirred and it was off of him. He sat up to see that his companion didn't abandon him. He couldn't seem to figure her out, everything he knew about her suggested she should have abandoned him long ago. Yet she didn't she stayed with him and even saved him twice. As he stood up a trickle of blood going down his side. "Yeah I think it's best we get to the ships. The book should be good enough if not it isn't worth dying for."

He could see her hands shaking and her heavy breathing. It was obvious that having to get the creatures off of him was taking it's toll on her. "You go ahead I'll cover the rear." Ushering her ahead, he wanted to stay between her and the known threat behind them. The corridor would eventually come to a staircase both ways were able to be taken. The roof would allow them to fly down to the ships, but the ground floor would be quieter. "Which way you thinking? If we go up and I fly us down we risk calling more creatures to us. Yet we don't know what will be waiting on the ground level now." He used his sword to steady himself as he looked to his companion. Though he still wasn't completely trustful of her, he at least trusted her judgement.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

After having saved him repeatedly, she absolutely knew she deserved a raise for this. Once he was back on his feet, she quickly began going through some pages, but as she literally found drawings of little dragon like creatures, she was convinced they had what he needed.

"Great, let's go", she agreed, jutting her chin towards the corridor that lead towards a spiral staircase that led upstairs. "Wow...covering my rear again, you cheeky little thing". Humor was a coping mechanism too and while she didn't want him distracted, she was still once again amused by the thought of him blushing behind the visor at her teasing.

"The roof", she bluntly replied as he mentioned it, assertively deciding on her preference. "Yes, creatures might hear us, but we'll be taking off before they follow". There was no way Maeve would deliberately get back onto the jungle floor, not that the whole pack seemed to know of their existence anyway.

"You'll have to accept I'll cling onto you with my life again", she quipped, throwing him a smirk. The truth was, Maeve hated the idea as it meant she'd have to blindly trust him again while they'd literally fly. It had left her queasy and slightly freaked out last time, but it was their best bet.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Rath Jell]

He followed her through the corridor, her comment did make him red. "I did not mean it that way." He huffed, following her to the stairs. He listened as she voiced her opinion on why the roof would be better. He motioned for her to lead as he followed her up to the roof. The fresh afternoon air washing over them as they made it up to the roof.

He looked around the roof to see if anything was below. To his relief nothing was that he could see. "Just remember to watch your legs." He would stand and let her climb onto him once again. The flight down to the ground was much smoother than the first one. As he landed he winced his wound being aggravated. "Well how are you proposing we deal with the trading of the manual?"

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Maeve was more than glad as they reached the roof and she took deep breath up there. There weren't any signs of further company, so for a moment she could relax a little. "Of course", she replied with a smirk before she climbed up and tightly held onto the manual.

Once up in the air, Maeve actually closed her eyes while she tightly pressed herself onto him. This time, there was no crash, but she noted that upon landing, he quickly winced. "Trading? I thought you'd wanted to read it yourself to hatch the egg?", she asked, a little confused about the change of plans.

They were close to the ship and she approached his. "So those creatures won't attack our ships, right? Or at least they wouldn't come far?", now that they were out of the ruin, Maeve felt as though she was back in her element. "Let's head inside and take a look". She nodded towards his ship, attentively glancing around. She still wanted to get inside quickly to be in actual safety, but he suddenly sounded relatively chill.

@Javier esschoolbus