Ask To train a lizard and a fox

[Khlan Gonk]

Klan took a deep breath of the dry air and licked his teeth once. The air on this world tasted great. Not too sandy like that Kriffin rock of Tatooine, and just enough moisture to stay above freezing during the night. Not to mention, there was the energy in the air. A kind of subtle, crackling energy that floated on the aether, detectable only to those who could sense the Force. The feeling was dark and cold, but in a much more insidious way compared to cold temperatures like snow or ice. And surprising Khlan, that feeling felt right.

As the light began to darken with the setting of Thule’s sun, Khlan bent down on the rocky outcroppings he stood upon. The moss under his feet gave off an eerie glow that messed with his cybernetic eye sensor slightly. Curious, Khlan ripped some off and placed it in his mouth to taste, before spitting it out. He wasn’t sure if it was poisonous, but it definitely didn’t taste good. The only good it did was light up the way with its eerie bioluminescent glow.

“GONK?” BoomBox honked questioningly as it followed after his master.

Khlan looked at the GNK droid and hissed. “No, we aren't there yet. Hurry up, I’m not going to be late because of you”

The droid honked again with a saddened tone but continued to follow. Khlan picked himself up and continued to walk towards a point on the horizon. In the distance, he could see what looked like a structure. Several days ago the Gank had received an encoded message to meet at one of Thule’s ancient Ruins, the one before him. There, the Gank was promised to unlock his abilities.

Some underground research helped Khlan realize that the message seemed genuine. The planet had ruins all over it, apparently Sith in nature, and anyone who could send him an encoded message either knew him personally or knew of him well enough. Whether the promise referenced his abilities in cybernetics or his burgeoning skills in the Force were unclear, but this was an opportunity Khlan would not pass up. And even if this trip was a bust, perhaps Khlan could acquire something from the Ruin’s that would aid his cybernetics.

About an hour later, just as the Sun was giving its last rays of light, Khlan and his droid made it to the coordinates. Looking around, Khlan began to search for whoever was supposed to meet him.

"Hello?" Khlan called out.

@DMCK @LouJoVi

 

[S’kenji]

It was the first time that S’kenji visited Thule, but he wasn’t very impressed with what he was seeing. For a planet that had protected the Sith for many generations in the past. It was dry and the rocks that he passed nearby were covered with some type of strange bioluminescent moss that made the Fiani stay away from them.

Even if his world had harmless bioluminescent plants, the Fiani knew very well that usually these colors meant danger. Unless he learned that there was no problem in being close to the moss, the Acolyte would remain away from it. He didn’t want to fall dead because he touched one of these things.

When he arrived at the meeting place, S’kenji heard a voice. After approaching it, the Fiani saw one of the most strange creatures that ever saw. Obviously, he didn’t say it, not wanting to offend this individual. “Hello!” the Acolyte said, waving friendly at the other. “Are you waiting for the training too?”

@DMCK @Narzen

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel hadn’t visited Thule before. Surprising, given that it was a world ruled by Darth Tempest. Until the last few years, he had avoided other Sith. He had instead preferred to drift around the outer rim, staying as far away from Sith politics as possible. Now he was one of the few masters in the order. He’d trained an apprentice, who he was sure would rise to the rank of champion soon. It seemed that recently he was being given more responsibility for training acolytes. He didn’t mind. Better to get the next generation of Sith on side.

He had been instructed to direct the acolytes to particular coordinates on Thule. It was then just a case of waiting for them to arrive. He remained hidden in the ruins, until the acolytes eventually arrived. One was short and somewhat unpleasant looking. They had cybernetics in place of certain body parts and were accompanied by a crude droid unit. The other was tall and slim and their species seemed familiar.

The acolytes greeted each other in a friendly manner. He remembered his time as a champion. Interactions with other Sith were never so cheerful.

He was out of sight, dressed in his robes. He had decided to do something different to start this training session. Concealed in the ruins were six KX droids, armed with electrostaffs. Shortly after the acolytes greeted each other, the droids appeared and began to advance on them. The acolytes would need to react quickly to the situation, in order to defend themselves.

@LouJoVi @Narzen

 

[Khlan Gonk]

Khlan’s cybernetic eye studied the fox-eared being carefully. These things were getting more common in the galaxy every day it seemed. He wondered silently if there was some secret plot for them to seed all over the galaxy for some subtle takeover, like humans seemed to have done so over and over again in galactic history. Those skin-bags were everywhere…

“You the one who sent the message?” Khlan asked before answering. Silently, he drew his own knife. An old habit when meeting new people, no matter how friendly they appeared. “No, no, you said you are waiting, so you didn’t send it I assume.”

Khlan licked his teeth slightly as he studied the humanoid further before being interrupted by his droid.

“GONK!” BoomBox honked loudly and urgently, as if giving a warning about overheating

“What are you honking ab-”

Khlan cut himself off as he saw the approach of the droids. Judging by the activated staffs, they were not here on friendly terms.

“Are they yours?” Khlan asked as he pulled his plasma torch with his free hand. He took a few steps backwards, pressing into BoomBox, then a few steps towards the strnager. This was not an ideal situation. Usually in times of combat, Khlan could rely on that pure-blooded Trodai to protect him. Here, he was stuck with someone he knew nothing about.

Khlan glanced at the stranger. He had a weapon. The Fox-eared was the best chance of survival. And if he went down, Khlan could always run away.

“Name’s Khlan…” the Gank hissed as he held up his plasma torch and knife at the ready. “And If you get hurt, I’m something of a doctor...”

@LouJoVi @DMCK

 

[S’kenji]

”No, I didn’t. I thought that it could have been you.” S’kenji said, staying some meter away from whatever species that guy was. He had seen how the individual in front of him had picked a knife and immediately moved his hand to stay close to his lightsaber. The Acolyte didn’t want to be taken by surprise.

His attention turned to the droid. The thing was making an uproar and the Fiani couldn’t understand anything that it was saying. Suddenly, six droids appeared from among the ruins and started to move against them. S’kenji pulled his lightsaber and activated it. He should have paid more attention to their surroundings.

“My name is S’kenji, nice to meet you.” the Fiani said to Khlan, while getting in a defensive position. He looked at the guy’s weapons out of the corner of the eye, noticing how unconventional they were. He was the first Sith that the Acolyte saw that used these weapons in a fight.

“I’ll take that into consideration.” he would take extra care to not get hurt. S‘kenji didn’t trust this guy’s medicine.

@DMCK @Narzen

 

[Khlan Gonk]

Khlan nodded at S'Kenji and then moved forward. The six droids were big and scary, but they were droids. That meant they had rigid programming. Or at least, that's what Khlan hoped for. His knife probably wouldn't do any damage, but his plasma torch might actually be good for something. If he could get the droids to focus on himself, and focus entirely on surviving, he could create openings and opportunities for the Fox-Eared. A common tactic he had used occasionally with that Pure-Blood back on Tatooine, though not one he truly enjoyed.

"I'll bother, you swing" Khlan growled before moving

"Come on you clanking droids!" Khlan hissed as he darted forward and then stopped. "You know you want some of this..."

Spoiler

D20 Roll to distract the droids
Result: 12: Full Success

The Droids began to take the bait. Several of them focused entirely on the small Gank and began to swing their staves. Khlan's training at being a slippery scoundrel kicked in, as he ducked under the swing of one droid and rolled forward between two others who stabbed at the ground. The three droids turned their bodies towards him while the others continued their approach towards S'Kenji and BoomBox, who shook but remained still with fear.

@DMCK @LouJoVi

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel observed the behaviour of the acolytes as the droids approached them. The shorter one raised a blade and a plasma torch to defend themselves. Am I forever to be given acolytes who don’t use a lightsaber. Fortunately, the other did have a saber. Much more promising.

He was interested to see how the acolytes would deal with the droids. They had been programmed with a few basic patterns.

A swipe towards the legs, followed by a horizontal strike towards the chest.

A horizontal strike at the chest or head, followed by a stabbing attack aimed at the torso.

Finally, a downward strike towards the head which would then be followed by an attempt to swing the lower part of the staff towards the acolyte’s jaw.

He was glad to see that the shorter acolyte was thinking tactically, having managed to split up the droids.

@Narzen @LouJoVi