Ask Resolute Confidence

[Kotii Solus]

THEME
​

Vlemoth Port was a backwater planet. It was the second time he had visited in about a decade so he wasn't sure how much was the same. The AMS pandemic 'pandemic, that's planet spanning. What's galaxy spanning?' he thought to himself as he flew through the blackness of space with nothing but stary sky void behind him.

Often forgotten, the planet and its history had ties with Mandalorians. The world was mostly wilderness but had a significant presence of Mandalorian natives to this day as well as Talz and Muun. It was here he hoped to see about reaching out to clans. At the edge of the system he was beginning to move further to the green and blue marble when his ship gave him a beeping alert as it detected a new ship coming out of hyperspace not far away.

"Huh, wonder what-" The Mandalorian was cut off as Crusader class corvette came out of hyperspace and nearly collided with his ship. Thankfully he had already moved away from the approach vector. "Di'kutla shabuir!" He cursed through gritted teeth and continued to do his best and pull the ship out of the fast capital craft's path.

Moving out of its way, his ships cameras allowed to view behind him and through the remote turret targeting system. There wasn't any fire or damage yet. Arcing around his ship's front came into view of the ship as it listed in space. A few marks showed that the vessel was damaged though from what source it wasn't clear. The man thought to hail the ship. It didn't seem to be changing course like most ships did after exiting hyperspace. No change is acceleration or deceleration. Ghost ship? He continued to fly nearby and run scans along its hull. It would be a minute before any planetary defense force came out this far at the edge of the system if they did at all. There was no harm in seeing what was going onboard the ship. It wouldn't take long before his the cockpit came level with the bridge of the Crusader.

Its friend or foe tag and transponder would give him some information. Resolute Defiance...MorataCorp...or is it Sith?... The crimson helmet zoomed in closer to the bridge with its scout HUD, looking for any details. Maybe what had been a very unlucky day for someone else would be a sweet prize for him if there was nobody onboard.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

It was meant to be a routine specimen pickup.

She suspected sabotage a long time ago, but locked in the control room while the dead pounded at her door didn't bode well. The few crew remaining on the ship would have registered minimal life-signs; no doubt pirates would have entered the ship already, weakened as it was.

Something registered on the periphery of the ship's scanners; another, smaller craft seemed to be following them. Planetary defense, maybe? But it seemed unlikely.

"Try and slow her down," she gave clipped orders, and one intern nodded as, with shaking hands, he began to override protocols and bring the ship to a slower, manageable speed. "Get in contact with that craft; ping them a line, the last thing we need is to meet someone trigger-happy."

A comm line would be pinged to the mystery ship, and for his view a pale face, eyes ringed with dark circles. "This is Doctor Morata aboard the Defiance. We are under attack. Please help, the crew is overrun and we are running low on supplies."

It was desperate. But she had to at least try. The ship began to slow, but first, they had to survive the horde, and she was beginning to tire.

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

"Defiance, this is Kotii Solus on the Werda Kom'rk. Overrun, overrun with what?" He asked though he had a feeling he knew. It was just a dreadful answer that was as obvious as the question. It definitely didn't look like bandits, at least not enough to be alive. The corvette was moving slowly and Kotii did his best to come along with one of the docking rings the ship had. It was tricky with a moving ship that could have pieces break off, move or just shoot at him for trying.

The hard clunk and securing of the ship would settle and the Mandalorian moved to get to the airlock. "If you see a red armored Mandalorian...don't shoot him unless you want to get shot." He mentioned as a word of advice while grabbing two extra power packs for his pistol.

Armed with his BM-357 python in his right hand, he was almost immediatly met by three un-living animated crewmembers. At least that was who the Mandalorians assumed they were. Black Hand didn't give them a second thought and pulled the trigger three times as entered. The fast blaster bolts were maybe a bit overkill on stopping power but maybe the resounding shots would be heard nearby.

For now the man would keep the power setting of his side arm on high. With four reloads he doubted the corvette could hold enough animated cadavers to have him run low on ammo and resort to his vibro blade. Not that he was afraid to use it, but after stabbing a hundred skulls it could tire his wrist out. It didn't help that they were essentially immune to his dart launchers and the ship limited his options. "Doctor Morata!" Even if she didn't hear him, he was still a bit aft of the ship to be heard through a few bulkheads. The intention was to also draw away any of the undead from where they were attacking. After shouting he tried the commlink he had relayed through ship communications. I've come to kill the dead

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She was surprised when there was a response. However, at the sight of a helmet, she couldn't help the slight flinch that came in response. The last time she had seen a Mandalorian, it hadn't ended well. Hopefully, she would be alive enough to survive both him and the undead banging on her door.

Still, the comm message was a welcome sign. "Turn on security cams, where is he?" The feed began to show the Mandalorian, and she scowled absently. However, his distraction worked. They began to move away from the control room. However, there were quite a few coming in his direction. Did the man think to take on the whole horde himself?

"Ten coming your way," she called out over the ship system. No point in trying to use personal communication; it would mean more attention to his location. "I'm trying to stop the ship now."

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

THEME​

The corvette could not have too many passengers in the Mandalorian's mind. Be it that he underestiamated the ferociaty of the horde or overestimated his capability against such numbers, Black Hand was soon back pedal towards his ship.

Two bolts left. Empty. Reload. Nine. Eight-seven. Six

And so the Echani-offshoot continued to fire heavy charged blaster bolt into the semi-desiccating and visceral mob that clawed after him. Splatters of rapidly impacted bodies hit his armor with some wet pieces of tissue that sizzled before half evaporating on his armor. That was how close they were and it was not good.

There was more than ten now at least. A firm hand by a zombiefied wookie grasped him. Its torn patched hair showing gruesome skin and more underneath but the once-sentient creature dragged the warrior from the ground. Kotii gritted his teeth and fired once at another grabbing him making him unable to fire at the others. Another shot. The heavy blaster pistol was impacted and shot through the mangy thing. But it didn't stop its gnarly teeth from coming down.

They clamped down on the vambrace of the warrior thankfully. Spittle mixed with blood from its mouth let drooled and didn't bit down any harder. But he couldn't move that arm any further. He tried pulling his arm out, wrenching it and then feeling some pain. Firing the last remaining shot from the pistol it ran dry. The vibro blade came around to meet the closest devaronian undead that was rather large in a glutinous sort of way. But after death it's weight and size, caused the Mandalorian to lose the vibroblade as it soon became lodged in the monsters skull.

A last undead, grabbed his now unarmored forwarm. It's nashing teeth coming down Kotii's wrist. He yelled out in pain and punched the creature. He was bit. He was going to become infected. This is so stupid. These god forsaken things are what's going to kill me? It pissed him off. It was the line of thinking Kotii had reverted to by nature as Solus. Grabbing the undead he acknowledged it had a hold of his wrist so he let it hold onto it and brought it down to the ground beneath him and proceeded to slam his helmeted head into the face of the being that wouldn't let him go. With his head ringing, he stood up. His visor reddened by gore and his arm throbbing. <"I've given a kedlabe kiss to my killer...."> He used his unhurt arm to wipe the obscured part of his visor. <"...how many more am I killing before die."> It was imminent. Black Hand was on death's door in this moment. He didn't even have a fellow badger at his side to amputate the arm.

@Killa Ree rolled poorly awhile back in discord

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She didn't waste a moment waiting. The moment she saw one clamp on his arm, she grabbed her heavy blaster. Now that the numbers were reduced significantly, she had to work fast to dispatch the others. "Send out a hailing signal, we're near enough for an emergency landing. Immediately start quarantine protocol on the hallway and entire ship; I'm going to do field surgery."

With his distraction for the horde, there were scant few left. Gripping her heavy pistol, she left the security of the bridge. They would have a scant amount of time before he would join the infected ranks; unfitting for a savior, regardless of his bearing a helmet or not.

At the look of the few numbers remaining, she gritted her jaw and walked forward. Two Twi'leks were dispatched with a shot to the head. Another near-Human, and then the man was in sight.

She could hear him speaking Mando'a, and her stomach clenched in memory. She knew the language well, well enough to talk to a strange Ranger before he passed. But this man wouldn't die today; they had some reprieve with the entrances sealed.

<Kotii Solus. I have to amputate before it spreads.> Her voice rasped harsh in Mando'a, with an aruetii accent that was unmistakeable. <This will hurt. Lie down, we don't have much time.>

She began reaching into her bag, pulling out a sanitary mat and laying it over the gory floor, then an injector dialed with some painkiller.

She had to work quickly.

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

Not realizing he had been speaking out loud, let alone expect to hear a response in his native tongue, Kotii would have an expression of surprise on his face were it not behind a mask and a helmet. <Ahh.. Doctor Morata....> The tone of confusion, suspicion and shock were not so well masked. All the same he obeyed because he knew she was right.

Kotii looked down at his arm where the bite was. It wasn't a pretty sight. <Should have brought a saber...> He muttered and groaned as the woman administered a painkiller. Reaching into a pouch with his right hand he pulled out a wrapped wad of what looked like clay. <...o-or....you can just burn right through it....> It would be a fast and sure fire fix. The starbrand welding putty he kept for making holes in bulkheads or sealing damaged ones could burn through a limb like a torch and take care of the cautorizing aspect maybe. But maybe the Doctor had something better and was more prepared than he was.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She could feel the pulse of surprise. She had expected that, but the suspicion as well. Again, she knew being an outsider would be met sometimes with outright hostility. Still, using welding putty would not be wise. Such a burn would possibly exacerbate shock. She had another option... but it left her no choice.

Reaching over, she pressed a keypad to deactivate the security feed, and turned off her comm, but not before leaving a message to her crew. "Maintain to emergency orbit and continue with quarantine measures; most of their numbers are taken care of. Give me five minutes."

She then turned off her comm and the video security feed and steeled herself.

<Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.>

She reached beneath her coat and pulled out a lightsaber hilt. Like her own style, it was narrow, elegant silver, almost fluted on two points like a flower, but somewhat like a lascalpel. Almost like any other medical tool. When she touched the emitter, it hummed to life in a brilliant, deep purple, before she adjusted its' length to something small, narrow, and looked into his visor.

<Brace yourself. This will be agonizing.>

The infection was beginning to spread; she noted the point where it ended, and calculated, before making a slow, sure sweep down. Burnt flesh sizzled in the air, and she narrowed her eyes, taking care to make sure the limb was cauterized, and that none of the flesh surrounding it held a trace of the infection. Deactivating it and placing it once more into her coat, she knelt over him, placing her hands over his chest, taking in a deep breath. The motions were similar to a doctor checking on her patient.

She focused, allowing the warmth to touch him, to heal and burn away any remainders of the infection, ease any lingering pain, and treat the cauterized wound to a more bearable degree. But her vision was beginning to swim, and she panted with the exertion, sweat beading along her forehead and at the base of her spine. When she finished, she wobbled on her feet for a moment before planting down her heels, and slowly rising.

"You should be safe, but you need to come with me, quickly." She'd offer down a hand, cognizant that though the corridor was shut for now, they would have to work fast to dispatch the remainder of the horde. And the ISC Rangers should be on their way soon; with the distress signal given, they would have to. But she would have to look after her patient.

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

The confusion persisted even as she told him to keep quiet about the following events. Watching her with a gritted teeth, Kotii's red and black armor was cast into new purple light from the tool the Doctor held. <How in the nine hells did you...> it was one thing after another. She brought the weapon used by Jedi and Sith to her specific preferences and needs.

Kotii grunted in confirmation. He was expecting it to hurt. <Do it> He growled. The creeping pain and sickness throbbed as it remained attached to him. "aaaAAAHHHrrrm!" The right hand of the Mandalorian slammed down into the deck as a fist. The smell of his own flesh being burned tickled his nostrils and his eyes watered from all the sensations rolling over him. But he blinked away the pain and was soon panting while staring at the severed limb.

The remaining pain, he needed to overcome it. But before the Solus member mustered up the will to push through it, the sensation eased before him. The heat and ache began to recede. Looking more directly at the Doctor he watched what she was doing. He had a lot of questions to ask this woman if they got out of this. By the sound of things they may be keeping their helmets above water for the time being.

Picking up his blaster, the Mandalorian emptied it with his right hand alone. Afterwards he stuck it under his left armpit and proceeded to reload it and check the charge on it again. With a small ping it signaled that Mandalorian had selected to also change over to medium. Kotii was going to be firing one handed and out of sorts. The less recoil was needed if he planned on hitting anything. Not to mention he was down to his last reload he thought. "Where are we going?" the question was followed by a cough and a hushed curse. All the same he would follow Ilana.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

So at least he listened. She had no doubt he would have a myriad of questions, but she also knew about Mandalorian culture. A debt like this would not be something easily repaid... and indeed, even if he wasn't as religious about his way as Roland Rook was, he would feel obligated. Tucking away everything else, she nudged him towards the bridge.

Her face brooked no argument.

"You will go up there for observation," a partial lie; he was cured, free of the plague that felled so many others. "And to defend if need be. I'll finish off their numbers; I couldn't do it alone before, but now it will be much easier."

She flashed him her hand; the white plas and black showed a clearly prosthetic hand. She gave a wry grin. "Less for them to bite on. Go."

With that, she would grip her own blaster and a vibroblade. She had several advantages. In his weakened state, he could be an ally, but considering the loss of the limb, he could still go into shock or, worse, accidentally shoot her in the back. Either wouldn't do.

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

The Doctor's words indicated why she had survived this long. She presented a tenacity and a striking image if Kotii was being honest with himself. The man did not object and kept his blaster at the read in case any other gnashing roamers showed.

The arkanian woman was able to take care of herself and then some. The truth of who she was and would maybe come to light but only as a possibility if Kotii lived through this. "You don't seem like the type to doubt your work." He said and took a moment to steady himself against the bulkhead for a moment before pushing off again. "Why are you in the Instrop Sector? Vlemoth Port has trees, narglatches and factories..." He wondered if she knew there were more Mandalorians in the city of Arumorut on the planets surface. They were different though, estranged in a way from Mandalore. Maybe that was why they hadn't had to deal with any heavily armed gunships or patrol vessels yet. No shaking or fireballs yet. Arasuum preserve.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She glanced at him, then perked a white brow. "I don't doubt my work. I want my patient to be safe," she spoke up, gripping her blaster again. But at his question why she was here, she drew to her full height. "I wanted to drop our ship out of hyperspace and begin quarantine at the closest orbiting body," she answered quietly.

She then jerked her head at him. "Keep moving, and let them know what happened. Report if anything happens or changes."

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

The echani hybrid listened to the Doctor's replies. These were tense moments to be having a first impression. The Mandalorian didn't slow down as they kept moving. The sound of a garggling growl and a coughing bark came soon after. "More behind us." He announced and brought his blaster to bear.

Thankfully Kotii still had his dominant hand working. The downside was he did not have the best of luck in a ship that was damaged. A bulkhead mounted panel burst in sparks making the man stumble. "Aah! I'm seeing stars...karkin'..." Kotii shook his head to clear it. The bright flash had temporarily blinded him from seeing anything he directly looked at. Blinking frantically his crimson eyes, he backed up but remained calm. His tone more frustrated than worried. Gripping the weapon in his hand tighter he would fire once and manage to hit one in the hip but that didn't stop it from moving closer.

@Killa Ree mild fail roll

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Ugh. All Mandalorians were so stubborn. They never listened to common sense. She had just performed major surgery on him, and yet here he was, following her and shooting. Were all of them so insane? At the sparks, she ducked her head from the sparks, batting them away with her cybernetic hand.

She aimed carefully past his shoulder towards the one staggering closer, catching it in the shoulder then forehead as it staggered to a fall to Kotii's feet. The next one swiped near-bone fingertips at the blinded Mandalorian, too close for her to shoot safely.

"Step back!" she snapped at the echani, waiting for her chance to level another shot.

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

He knew that the undead were not very bright. But they still had numbers and an unatural doggedness that bothered him. It was also why he was surprised while blinded to hear the discharge of the Doctor's blaster. The back of his mind became acutely aware of the side of his body facing the woman.

The snarl in front of the temporarily blind Kotii only aided in encouraging the man to move backwards. He hoped he wasn't going to run into the Doctor. Underneath his helmet the pale man grimaced and wondered if the taste of copper in his mouth was imagined or from some injury. Did I bite my tongue or cheek earlier? Karking perfect.

The Doctor had a shot lined up or something planned. Kotii could hear it in her tone. He moved out of the way and prayed to the forgotten gods of Mandalore that his beskar'gam wouldn't have to test the back-plate durability.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Thankfully, Kotii had decent enough sense to move out of the way, but irritation spiked that the red-suited Mando would insist on staggering along with her. And now blinded, he was becoming a walking dinner bell for any remaining undead on the ship.

Thankfully, that made her job a little easier.

As the creature roared and swiped a hand to where Kotii had been, she let out two shots, the first in the chest and the next in the head. It fell down to the ground, and she paused. Listened.

Nothing but the hum of a ship surrounding them. So many dead...

She suppressed a grimace, then glancing over at Kotii.

"How's your vision?"

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

He continued to blink more. The sun spots on his eyes were going away and his vision returning. "I'll be right in a few moments." The Mandalorian replied to the Doctor. His own blaster angled ahead of them and towards the deck. Aside from the sound of them catching their breath there was little sound. It was not comforting to the echani-offshoot.

Taking stock of everything that had happened Kotii collected his thoughts. The Alor of House Solus needed to think ahead at what to do next. He had come to this system for his own reasons. Having an AMS outbreak and quarantined on this ship was the immediate priority but the man calculated what was going to happen with the corporately owned corvette afterwards.

"We will need to effectively clear all of...shuk'la tsad" The man paused since they did not have a word for 'undead'. But 'crushed group' seemed to fit the encompasing theme of those fallen to AMS. Until he heard something better that would have to do. Perhaps dini'la was more accurate.

"Good enough to shoot now." Kotii's confident voice said from underneath his helmet. The heavy stamped durasteel blaster in his hands was checked for its ammunition momentarily. "If there's an armory onboard we might want to stock up. Any others we can muster?" The quiet state of the ship meant there was not any fighting going on. The frenzied undead were either far enough away and had taken over enough of the ship or the crew had enough control to not have the undead figures moving freely from compartment to compartment.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She shook her head to his question, jerking her head towards the bridge area. "There aren't many of us left; this particular strain was more aggressive than usual." She glanced at the stump where his hand was, and then towards his visor. "If the path to the lab is clear, I can retrofit you a temporary limb, but it will hurt. Do you want to wait?"

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

"What's the benefit of waiting?" His dominant hand was the one that was in need of getting replaced at some point. The immediate facts were that he was one appendage down. Having two hands was twice as good just one and when fighting the undead that could understandably take priority over the need to not risk being a fast draw with his left. The pros and cons were equally tied in Kotii's mind.

His helmet was looking directly towards the Doctor to let her know that was her cue to enlighten him to any alternatives. "Will I have long term drawbacks either way?" The Mandalorian was also prepared to fight one handed. It wouldn't have been the first time.

@Killa Ree