Ask Rubric of Ruin

[Nakoa Singh]

Nakoa had been meditating when the sound of rustling brush drew his attention, eyes snapping open. He'd been camping on a planet far in wild space, one with sentient life that mostly existed in scattered tribes and wildlife living in hilly, arboreal tundras. A reference in some ancient document lead him there, and of course, the call of knowledge was one he answered. He was close now to what he'd determined was an extremely old building of some kind, visible on the horizon from the treetops.

Amber-gold eyes narrowed toward the brush as he slowly stood from his seated position, soft snowdrifts falling from his shoulders and the top of his hood. He waited patiently until the rustling was too close to his disguised camp to ignore and the color of clothing peeked out between the branches. "Name yourself," Nakoa spoke calmly but firmly, as the other figure entered the small clearing. He hadn't expected to even encounter anyone else here.

@Logan

 

[Lux Avery]

Adventures in Wild Space was always an amusing pastime for Lux. Most people thought she was crazy given the potential, well more like guaranteed, dangers of heading out to where there was nothing and no one just to find something interesting.

But so far it had only proved sometimes beneficial and oftentimes simply relaxing, so she had no real reason to stop doing it. At least in her own mind, anyway.

Today’s trip was a little different, though. Her ship had managed to find itself malfunctioning, the astromech droid Lux often brought with her on trips like this informing her that while it could make the repairs, it would still take several days.

So after growing bored just resting on her ship, Lux had decided to venture out into the unknown wilderness, confident enough in her ability to find her way back through the lightly falling snow.

After a while of trudging, she could see the vague outline of a clearing just through the treeline. And then, surprisingly, a voice called out to her and despite her relatively calm and collected demeanor, Lux found herself taken just a bit by surprise.

What, not even a hello? Did your mother teach you no manners? Lux called back as she stepped out of the woods and into the clearing, her hands open palmed and facing Nakoa to show that she was carrying no weapons.

A smirk on her face to show that she was clearly kidding, Lux let her hands drop idly by her side before adding: I’m Lux. And you are?

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Nakoa Singh]

Amber-gold eyes fixed the newcomer to their camp with a flat look, difficult to read. "She did," was the Wrean's distinctively unhelpful answer. There was a pause after Lux's introduction in which those eyes were briefly hawklike, sharp and piercing, almost like they could see right through her.

A hand gestured toward the opposite end of the campfire. "Nakoa," the Wrean introduced himself before promptly going back to what he was doing. That sudden sharpness to his features had vanished as if it'd never been there at all, replaced with focus on seasoning the meal cooking atop the fire. It was...

Mammalian, probably? It would be easier to tell if it still had its hide attached. Below and to the side, a black iron pot simmered with native herbs and vegetables. The entire campsite smelled delicious. Native birds tweeted and croaked in the background, amphibians making a strange warbling noise in the undergrowth. The wind was humid and cool. This planet was in the middle of autumn and the hour was late, giving everything a somber air.

"Lost?" the Wrean asked while he tossed something over the roasting meat.

@Logan

 

[Lux Avery]

It would seem she could have done a better job. Or maybe you're just a bad listener? She said idly, her tone joking and facial expression light.

She took Nakoa's offer and found a place on the opposite end of the campfire. As if on cue, her stomach suddenly rumbled in protest as Lux suddenly realized it had actually been some time since she had eaten. Gaze intrinsically drawn to whatever was cooking away on the fire, Lux raised a eyebrow in curiosity as she turned her eyes back to Nakoa.

I wouldn't use that word, no. She said, pulling out a flask from the inside of her jacket. Lux may have often forgotten to eat actual food, but it was rare when she wasn't carrying a little booze and a couple cigarettes. That was all part of a balanced breakfast anyway, right?

What are you doing out here, camping? A ridiculous question to most, but Lux could think of little other reason someone would just be sitting in the middle of nowhere like this, cooking up something on a fire. I'll trade you some booze for some of whatever it is you're making here.[

Taking a swig from the flask to show that it wasn't poisoned or something, Lux tipped it toward Nakoa with a shrug of her shoulder.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Nakoa Singh]

Nakoa smirked at the newcomer, fangs peeking out just slightly from behind his curled lips as he pulled his snow-dusted hood down off his head. "Call it cultural differences." A brow rose at the woman's assertion that she wasn't lost. Or at least she wouldn't 'call' it lost. The difference may have been lost on Nakoa.

He glanced around his camp before looking back at the woman. "Figured I'd start a new colony, actually." For a moment it might be hard to tell if he was serious or not, but the slight smirk and a twinkle in his eye gave away the game. It was probably a joke. Long, slender fingers plucked up the flask and sniffed at it before returning her shrug and taking a solid swig before handing it back. The same hand gestured for her to sit by the fire and then rotated the meat.

"What word would you use?" Nakoa asked, returning to the earlier subject of Lux being lost. "Or were you looking to join the new settlement?" Yeah he was keeping that joke going.

@Logan