Pyro V said
Don't worry, it probably won't happen again.
For the sake of humanity and the American dream, I should most certainly hope not. >:b
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For the sake of humanity and the American dream, I should most certainly hope not. >:b
*Bear and Ginger nearly agree with each other. World suddenly implodes*
As the conversations took a turn for the more serious Tristan busied himself with eating as much as he could as fast as he could and listening carefully instead of talking. He set down the fork, licked his teeth, glanced at Lucy and clasped his hands under his chin before looking Devon right in the eye.
"If they can't make it here," he began in a quiet tone, "then they won't make it out there. Frankly we don't know how much longer any of us will make it out there. That's Eagle Claw, that's the wasteland and that's life. It isn't easy, it isn't pretty, it isn't 'fun,' and it sure as hell isn't fair. It's just sad fact. So you can either enjoy what you've got left or bitch and whine and be miserable. Nobody's gonna stop you."
"But!" Tristan straightened up and smiled at the newcomers, "Bad dinner conversation! Congrats on 'graduating,' we're glad to have you two in the family, enjoy the free booze and all that."
"If they can't make it here," he began in a quiet tone, "then they won't make it out there. Frankly we don't know how much longer any of us will make it out there. That's Eagle Claw, that's the wasteland and that's life. It isn't easy, it isn't pretty, it isn't 'fun,' and it sure as hell isn't fair. It's just sad fact. So you can either enjoy what you've got left or bitch and whine and be miserable. Nobody's gonna stop you."
"But!" Tristan straightened up and smiled at the newcomers, "Bad dinner conversation! Congrats on 'graduating,' we're glad to have you two in the family, enjoy the free booze and all that."
Lucius Cypher said
Hey guys I just wanted you to know that tomorrow I'll be leaving the state for a bit of vacationing. Normally I'd hope to at least bring a laptop, but it seems that those involved in this vacation aim to ensure that they have my undivided attention. I.e. I might not be on as often as I'd hoped. It should last for about a week or two.
Oooohhh have fun!! Thanks for letting us know :D
Pyro V said
I didn't know there was a post order.I was just waiting on someone else to post before me because I posted last before Vash.
There's not usually. It's just me being ocd or whatever :S
Good to hear Granox. Hope the weekend was good despite the wrapping :B
ETAs on posts anyone? I know there isn't much going on so if nobody is feeling inspired or something I may just throw post order out the window and get another one up.
On his stomach over looking the dark slot canyon which the falls plummeted into Iisska listened and watched very carefully. Thanks to the rock formations around them the acoustics here were fantastic. He could hear the slavers moving about and had a bead on one before he even made out the silhouette. The Tusken Cycler felt nice and heavy in his hands and he was eager to pull the trigger for the first time. Normally killing of any sort left a bad taste in his mouth but slavers were among those kinds of people he felt little sympathy for. He took his finger off the guard and gently set it on the trigger getting ready to squeeze as he watched his target.
"Yeah, I'm R--" he stopped and shuddered. He felt nauseated and slightly repulsed by the Cycler all of a sudden. He felt like there was a weight on his entire body and on his very spirit. There was a sort of darkness consuming him. Something was so very wrong. And whatever it was he couldn't help but feel like it might be coming for him. He shook his head a few times and rolled his shoulders out trying to ignore and suppress the feeling. Quickly he got comfortable once more, focused his senses back on the targets and cleared his throat.
"Sorry. Ready when you are."
He squeezed the trigger as soon as Marquis did. Even after slamming through the water the slug still found its mark, going right through the Batarian's skull. Accurate was an understatement when talking about this thing. It took a second or two but chaos quickly spread through the slaver hideout and before long they were coming out from behind the water trying to scout for their killers. The Cycler had cooled down by then and Iisska took another shot. Again he found his mark. Marquis was picking them off one by one at a far quicker pace. But it would only be a matter of time before... In an instant he heard the pop of a rifle down below, detected where it was coming from and its trajectory and snapped his head several inches to the left. It ripped through the air where his skull used to be and exploded into the rock behind them. Slowly, almost stunned he moved back into position.
"Might be time to move soon," he said aiming right back at the slaver who had just shot at him.
"Yeah, I'm R--" he stopped and shuddered. He felt nauseated and slightly repulsed by the Cycler all of a sudden. He felt like there was a weight on his entire body and on his very spirit. There was a sort of darkness consuming him. Something was so very wrong. And whatever it was he couldn't help but feel like it might be coming for him. He shook his head a few times and rolled his shoulders out trying to ignore and suppress the feeling. Quickly he got comfortable once more, focused his senses back on the targets and cleared his throat.
"Sorry. Ready when you are."
He squeezed the trigger as soon as Marquis did. Even after slamming through the water the slug still found its mark, going right through the Batarian's skull. Accurate was an understatement when talking about this thing. It took a second or two but chaos quickly spread through the slaver hideout and before long they were coming out from behind the water trying to scout for their killers. The Cycler had cooled down by then and Iisska took another shot. Again he found his mark. Marquis was picking them off one by one at a far quicker pace. But it would only be a matter of time before... In an instant he heard the pop of a rifle down below, detected where it was coming from and its trajectory and snapped his head several inches to the left. It ripped through the air where his skull used to be and exploded into the rock behind them. Slowly, almost stunned he moved back into position.
"Might be time to move soon," he said aiming right back at the slaver who had just shot at him.
It was too hot. But she was shivering. Brooklyn lay on her back and her eyes opened to a dim light. The meltdown! She sat bolt up right with a startled gasp hands out in front of her... But the cockpit was gone. Everything was gone. It took a moment for her to realize she was in a hotel room, in a bed, back above in the city. Confusion overcame her. She had no idea how much time had passed as it felt like she had only closed her eyes for mere seconds. What had happened down there? Who brought her back? And who took her out of her clothes? She shivered again and pulled the covers over her bare chest. There she found gauze taped to her shoulders and shoulder blades and let her fingers run over the tender, aching flesh there. On her hands she found dark bruising where the electrodes had been. They were deep purple with red tendrils running away from them and up the underside of her forearm almost like veins. What the hell happened?
She scooted forward and started to look around for her clothes but they were nowhere to be found. Instead she saw Sebastian in the bed next to hers. He wasn't moving, but she could see his chest rising and falling. Still alive, but not in good shape. Someone had tended to him as well judging from the bits of gauze and the bandages that poked out of the covers on his right arm. Brooklyn turned, touching her toes to the floor, and wrapped the sheets around her back before rising. Joints popped, her back realigned and she swayed as a dizziness swept over her, but for the most part she was okay. I'm okay she repeated to herself. Glancing down at Sebastian again she could noticed a thin line running along the underside of his jaw and around to his hair. Tentatively she brushed a lock of it aside and saw exactly what was happening. A soft sigh escaped her lips. Pinning the sheets under her arms she leaned over him and pushed lightly on his face. The flesh was firmer than she expected... but she guessed she should have expected it. With a little pressure the line sealed. She pushed herself upright again but left her hand on the bed just thinking. Her fingers sank into the mattress. Where his arm should have been.
Pulling back she inhaled quickly and stared at the depression. Then pulled the covers down. She didn't have to go far before the bandages ended, wrapped around the stub that formed at his elbow. The girl's mouth twisted into an anguished frown and she ran a hand through her hair and down the side of her neck. Footsteps, a clicking and a creaking announced someone at the door. Frozen, she found it hard to take her eyes away, but slowly turned toward the entry. Gabe strode across to the dresser and put two sets of clothes, neatly folded, down on top of it.
"Sorry 'bout the nudity," he began immediately, "You... They needed to be washed." He turned to her with a sullen expression. As his eyes flicked over her body, then her face and then locked on her eyes the corner of his mouth pulled to the side somewhat, "How do you feel?"
"I'm... I feel... Alright I guess," her throat was dry and her voice hoarse, "... What--"
"He saved your crazy ass when that damned monster ya dug up went up in flames and nearly got us all killed," Gabe pointed behind her, "Me, DT 'n SEV... er, the bigger robot, got everyone out after that," he shrugged, "Glad yer up though." He certainly didn't sound glad.
"But you're alright then?" she asked, "And Anna?"
The mercenary frowned and looked at the floor before walking out of the room, "She's tryin' to rest."
Brooklyn's hands tightened around her sheets, watching him until he shut the door. After looking over her shoulder at Sebastian once more she went to the dresser.
Gabe walked down the hall to another room where he entered quietly. He took a seat by Annabelle's bed without saying a word.
She scooted forward and started to look around for her clothes but they were nowhere to be found. Instead she saw Sebastian in the bed next to hers. He wasn't moving, but she could see his chest rising and falling. Still alive, but not in good shape. Someone had tended to him as well judging from the bits of gauze and the bandages that poked out of the covers on his right arm. Brooklyn turned, touching her toes to the floor, and wrapped the sheets around her back before rising. Joints popped, her back realigned and she swayed as a dizziness swept over her, but for the most part she was okay. I'm okay she repeated to herself. Glancing down at Sebastian again she could noticed a thin line running along the underside of his jaw and around to his hair. Tentatively she brushed a lock of it aside and saw exactly what was happening. A soft sigh escaped her lips. Pinning the sheets under her arms she leaned over him and pushed lightly on his face. The flesh was firmer than she expected... but she guessed she should have expected it. With a little pressure the line sealed. She pushed herself upright again but left her hand on the bed just thinking. Her fingers sank into the mattress. Where his arm should have been.
Pulling back she inhaled quickly and stared at the depression. Then pulled the covers down. She didn't have to go far before the bandages ended, wrapped around the stub that formed at his elbow. The girl's mouth twisted into an anguished frown and she ran a hand through her hair and down the side of her neck. Footsteps, a clicking and a creaking announced someone at the door. Frozen, she found it hard to take her eyes away, but slowly turned toward the entry. Gabe strode across to the dresser and put two sets of clothes, neatly folded, down on top of it.
"Sorry 'bout the nudity," he began immediately, "You... They needed to be washed." He turned to her with a sullen expression. As his eyes flicked over her body, then her face and then locked on her eyes the corner of his mouth pulled to the side somewhat, "How do you feel?"
"I'm... I feel... Alright I guess," her throat was dry and her voice hoarse, "... What--"
"He saved your crazy ass when that damned monster ya dug up went up in flames and nearly got us all killed," Gabe pointed behind her, "Me, DT 'n SEV... er, the bigger robot, got everyone out after that," he shrugged, "Glad yer up though." He certainly didn't sound glad.
"But you're alright then?" she asked, "And Anna?"
The mercenary frowned and looked at the floor before walking out of the room, "She's tryin' to rest."
Brooklyn's hands tightened around her sheets, watching him until he shut the door. After looking over her shoulder at Sebastian once more she went to the dresser.
Gabe walked down the hall to another room where he entered quietly. He took a seat by Annabelle's bed without saying a word.
"Seb, I-- Wait. What? I can't... WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"
The grin was quickly wiped from Brooklyn's face and replaced with a sneer of mortified fury. She stepped up the hurt she had been giving the ghouls. It was hard enough to keep track of them all and keep them off the group as they made a break for it. Now she was faced with a salacious series of vivid mental images involving the two of them that simply would not stop. She tried to push them down but they stayed right there on the edge of her mind. She felt the heat in her cheeks and had to ignore that now too.
"Sebastian, please... Please, please just shut your mouth," she growled at him while clipping through the corner of the old police station.
Though she could have made it to the lift by now, she stayed close to the group. Her radar kept an eye on their movements and six while she stayed just ahead to clear the way and scare up any hiding ghouls. If she acted fast she usually had success in mowing most of them over before they reached her friends. The small handful that broke through were never more than Sebastian, Gabe and the robot she saw running around with them, could handle. Violent explosions and blasts seemed to only draw more out, but there had to be some end to them she thought. Again she fired up the laser in the tail and took down another wave of them, wiping out the supports on a three story building and collapsing it on even more while she was at it. Underneath and around her the machine groaned and shuddered.
"I can keep this up all day," she chuckled.
Then a red warning light came on and beeped low. Coolant levels low.
"Oh. Maybe not," she mumbled. She had no idea the age of this thing and hadn't even thought about things like that. The coolant probably wasn't the only fluid that needed to be filled up. As soon as she realized this several more warning lights came on about that exact problem. Oil, differentials, transfer cases, flywheels... they were all bone dry. But they were making good progress and the lift wasn't far. Maybe a few more miles at most. She could make it a few more miles before any sort of breakdown. More of the monsters rushed from a hole that had been punched in a subsystem when the building fell. Again she charged up the guns and blasted them. The low beeping became a full on alarm. She checked through all the readings as the legs of the mech started to grind and screech with every movement. She could feel the jarring and slips and disconnections not just in the cockpit but in her body as well as the malfunctions tortured her nervous system. The pain was coming to a level that made it difficult to concentrate even with the adrenaline flowing in her veins. The temperatures of the weapons systems and the engines were reaching dangerous levels.
"That's not good," Brooklyn whimpered, "I may have a problem. We're gonna need to ditch this thing soon," she couldn't believe she was saying that about her baby. More ghouls piled on the scorpion and began tearing and clawing at anything they could reach, but aside from a few minor parts the armor kept them from doing any real damage. Another charge was getting close. Several more times she fired into them and then completely rolled the mech over to crush any that were on it. A dust cloud kicked up around her and the machine screamed almost as if in pain, but it did the trick. The alarms continued to go off and she kept a close eye on the temperatures. DT started advising her to stop.
"I think I've got a little more in her," Brooklyn nodded and winced, "Just a little more then we'll stop."
Once back up on its legs she wheeled around to fire at a few ghouls who were racing toward the group and charged the main guns again. BOOM! One ball of charged plasma ripped them apart. The mech shook as a shock wave tore through it, listed over and swayed back into standing position. A plume of fire and black smoke billowed from the arm where one of the cannons used to be. Now a smoldering mess of charred steel. The alarms doubled and the entire cockpit flashed red. Catastrophic failure. Brooklyn screamed in agony as the mech further informed her of this by shooting a blinding pain up her right arm which convulsed for several seconds before the signals let up.
"Th-that's the end of that," she gasped starting to disengage the combat protocols entirely in an effort to cool down the systems before they went into full melt down, "Cover me. I'm getting the hell out of this thing."
One of the engines on the left side started to rattle the entire scorpion so badly she could barely read the displays. Then a second explosion rocked her as it jammed and erupted. This time the machine collapsed on its side. Then the message she didn't want to see came up. Meltdown. Frantically she tried to get the piloting systems to disengage her and open up the loading ramp. Error. Again she ran the commands through. The electrodes and their little needles that dug into her skin ripped out of the finger tips and palm of her right hand. But only her right hand. Error. Immediately she used it to start trying to by-pass the system manually.
"Come on, come on. Please," she breathed. A loud hiss and chunk sounded behind her as the loading ramp started to drop. "Yes!" She started trying to yank the other electrodes out by hand. The first one to come out of her index finger hurt all the way up her arm and into her chest with an intensity that made her eyes water. The second engine melted down and blasted itself into oblivion. Smoke started to pour in from the floor and instruments. But there was a bigger problem. A horrible grinding noise replaced the hum of the ramp dropping. It stopped completely. Jammed in place.
"Oh shit."
The grin was quickly wiped from Brooklyn's face and replaced with a sneer of mortified fury. She stepped up the hurt she had been giving the ghouls. It was hard enough to keep track of them all and keep them off the group as they made a break for it. Now she was faced with a salacious series of vivid mental images involving the two of them that simply would not stop. She tried to push them down but they stayed right there on the edge of her mind. She felt the heat in her cheeks and had to ignore that now too.
"Sebastian, please... Please, please just shut your mouth," she growled at him while clipping through the corner of the old police station.
Though she could have made it to the lift by now, she stayed close to the group. Her radar kept an eye on their movements and six while she stayed just ahead to clear the way and scare up any hiding ghouls. If she acted fast she usually had success in mowing most of them over before they reached her friends. The small handful that broke through were never more than Sebastian, Gabe and the robot she saw running around with them, could handle. Violent explosions and blasts seemed to only draw more out, but there had to be some end to them she thought. Again she fired up the laser in the tail and took down another wave of them, wiping out the supports on a three story building and collapsing it on even more while she was at it. Underneath and around her the machine groaned and shuddered.
"I can keep this up all day," she chuckled.
Then a red warning light came on and beeped low. Coolant levels low.
"Oh. Maybe not," she mumbled. She had no idea the age of this thing and hadn't even thought about things like that. The coolant probably wasn't the only fluid that needed to be filled up. As soon as she realized this several more warning lights came on about that exact problem. Oil, differentials, transfer cases, flywheels... they were all bone dry. But they were making good progress and the lift wasn't far. Maybe a few more miles at most. She could make it a few more miles before any sort of breakdown. More of the monsters rushed from a hole that had been punched in a subsystem when the building fell. Again she charged up the guns and blasted them. The low beeping became a full on alarm. She checked through all the readings as the legs of the mech started to grind and screech with every movement. She could feel the jarring and slips and disconnections not just in the cockpit but in her body as well as the malfunctions tortured her nervous system. The pain was coming to a level that made it difficult to concentrate even with the adrenaline flowing in her veins. The temperatures of the weapons systems and the engines were reaching dangerous levels.
"That's not good," Brooklyn whimpered, "I may have a problem. We're gonna need to ditch this thing soon," she couldn't believe she was saying that about her baby. More ghouls piled on the scorpion and began tearing and clawing at anything they could reach, but aside from a few minor parts the armor kept them from doing any real damage. Another charge was getting close. Several more times she fired into them and then completely rolled the mech over to crush any that were on it. A dust cloud kicked up around her and the machine screamed almost as if in pain, but it did the trick. The alarms continued to go off and she kept a close eye on the temperatures. DT started advising her to stop.
"I think I've got a little more in her," Brooklyn nodded and winced, "Just a little more then we'll stop."
Once back up on its legs she wheeled around to fire at a few ghouls who were racing toward the group and charged the main guns again. BOOM! One ball of charged plasma ripped them apart. The mech shook as a shock wave tore through it, listed over and swayed back into standing position. A plume of fire and black smoke billowed from the arm where one of the cannons used to be. Now a smoldering mess of charred steel. The alarms doubled and the entire cockpit flashed red. Catastrophic failure. Brooklyn screamed in agony as the mech further informed her of this by shooting a blinding pain up her right arm which convulsed for several seconds before the signals let up.
"Th-that's the end of that," she gasped starting to disengage the combat protocols entirely in an effort to cool down the systems before they went into full melt down, "Cover me. I'm getting the hell out of this thing."
One of the engines on the left side started to rattle the entire scorpion so badly she could barely read the displays. Then a second explosion rocked her as it jammed and erupted. This time the machine collapsed on its side. Then the message she didn't want to see came up. Meltdown. Frantically she tried to get the piloting systems to disengage her and open up the loading ramp. Error. Again she ran the commands through. The electrodes and their little needles that dug into her skin ripped out of the finger tips and palm of her right hand. But only her right hand. Error. Immediately she used it to start trying to by-pass the system manually.
"Come on, come on. Please," she breathed. A loud hiss and chunk sounded behind her as the loading ramp started to drop. "Yes!" She started trying to yank the other electrodes out by hand. The first one to come out of her index finger hurt all the way up her arm and into her chest with an intensity that made her eyes water. The second engine melted down and blasted itself into oblivion. Smoke started to pour in from the floor and instruments. But there was a bigger problem. A horrible grinding noise replaced the hum of the ramp dropping. It stopped completely. Jammed in place.
"Oh shit."
Though not normally his food of choice, after not eating much of anything since the morning before, the crusty hunk of bread might as well have been the most tender cut of meat. Truth be told it was nothing like the "breads" he'd attempted elsewhere. This was really good. He dug into it ravenously on the way back to the ship to drop off Sterling's shopping and his bag. The Ithorian cleaners were sweeping over and through the Harpoon at an astounding pace considering the condition the flying casket was in. But they still had a long way to go.
"You must have offered them a small fortune," he commented to Sterling.
In the same room he had crashed the night before he dropped off his bag on the bunk. With a few minutes until Sterling would be ready to go he pulled the parts blaster back out and compared it to the melted one in his hip holster. Indeed they would be a good fit even though the metals had tarnished and were now different colors. No matter. He didn't carry the damn thing to look pretty. He only wished he had more time to fix it before they went out, but it would take him hours. What did that droid expect him to do on a bounty hunt like this? Wearing a puzzled look on his face he packed them both up again. Out of nowhere he heard something behind him that wasn't a humanoid shape and turned quickly. Only a fleeting movement on the edge of the entrance greeted him, but he could still feel it there. He took a few cautious steps forward and then it was gone. Creeping into the hall and poking his head around the corner his eyes confirmed it.
"Hello?" he said quietly. Nothing. He tensed upon remembering being told something about a... what was it? ... A tukata? Though he wasn't entirely sure what that was. If that had been "her," he didn't expect her to be so big... or creepy. Walking back out he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched and was almost running by the time left the air lock where Sterling was waiting of course.
With a gun.
"Where did you dig this up?" Iisska asked after being handed the rifle. That answered his weapon question.
"It's Zen's. Do not worry, he will not find out. A Tuskan Cycler. Very accurate and deadly. Not a lot of their type around these days." The rifle was light and ornate almost. Weathered from long years of use but kept pristine by it's master, Zen.
"That so?" he couldn't hold back a somewhat sinister laugh as he slung it over his back, "You're alright, know that? Where to next, boss?"
"Have to...borrow...a couple speeders from the garage over there. They may not enjoy us taking them, so a little tact may be needed."
"Borrow... Right..." he rubbed his chin in thought and felt a painful bruise there from earlier. Then raised a brow and smiled. There was more depth and purr in his voice now, "Actually, I know where there's a few that might be a little easier... and more satisfying to 'borrow.'"
"Lead the way, Friend."
Not long after the two of them ducked into a particularly shady neighborhood adjacent to the spaceport. Iisska was doing his best to keep out of sight as he had already discovered that foreigners were frowned upon in this part of town. They came to a run-down canteena partially cut into a large boulder. In front of the establishment nearly a dozen speeders were parked and ripe for the taking... As long as they were quick. He watched from his hiding spot as a group of patrons walked inside.
"This is it," he said quietly, "It should only take me a minute or two to get 'em up and running. Can you keep an eye out?"
"Is that supposed to be a cruel joke?" He looked at him, his one eye glowing white in the partial darkness."
He frowned and seemed to shrink as it hit him, "I-- Er-- No! No! That's really not what I was... It's just a phrase."
"And that was a joke." He looked at him, his eye becoming slightly pinker for a moment before he walked way to keep a lookout.
Iisska chuckled nervously, "Oh. Funny."
Taking the next opening he jogged out to where the speeders were parked, but he did not stop at the first two like any remotely intelligent sentient being would. Instead he skipped over them and the third and fourth and fifth before stopping and looking closer at the next two and grinning.
"That's them," he whispered to nobody specifically before wrenching a small side plate open on the first one. With a second or two of struggle he ripped a small circular electronic device off it's screws and threw it on the ground. Then he spliced two wires where it had been and moved on to wrenching two more out of the main console. Carefully he touched them together a couple of times, trying not to electrocute himself, and after a few more attempts the speeder roared to life. He gripped a paddle on the handle bar and clipped the plate back in place.
"Get on. Quick," he nodded to Sterling, "Keep the clutch in."
"I know how to ride a speeder, boy." He hopped onto Iisska's speeder and clamped his legs onto it via a bit of magnetism.
"I was just... Nevermind," he said jumping to the next speeder. He tried to work faster than before using the same magic trick, but this one was being far more stubborn. After at least ten tries to get current to the ignition all he had to show for it was sparks and singed fingertips. They were running out of time. Come on you little shit... The canteena door swung open and three dirty looking Zabrak came out. Their eyes snapped to the thieves at the same second Iisska finally got the bike to fire.
"You!" the first one yelled, though he was a bit stunned. His friend was already racing down the steps to another speeder.
"Shoulda killed me, jackass!" the Togruta yelled back as he jumped on and threw the machine into reverse.
The furious locals yanked blasters from their belts, having been given a great idea and open fired.
Marquis jumped onto his own, revving it and firing off, unholstering his rifle for when the bikers chase after them. He turned and started off for the desert, intent on leading Iisska towards where they needed to go.
He didn't need to be told twice to follow the droid's lead. More angered Zabrak out for blood were coming out of the doors to get a piece of the action. They tore away from the steel expanse on the speeders going down a little used dirt path that followed the river. A few homes and a small ranch or two dotted the canyon floor. The occasional outcrop in the cliffs could be used as natural corals for the reeks and the other strange, lumbering livestock that could be seen grazing on the low desert foliage that grew out from the water and collected in the shady areas along the edge of the rocks. It would have been a rather peaceful and relaxing place had there not been a biker gang hot on their heels shooting at them like a bunch of psychopaths.
Marquis seemed to be able to not only handle one of these old speeders at a neck breaking speed, but also take his eyes off the damn road, use a rifle one handed and hit targets at his back with an incredible accuracy all at the same time. He made it look as easy as walking. Iisska wanted more than anything to help but only got as far as turning to look behind him for a second or two before realizing that all he would accomplish was sending stray fire everywhere before more than likely wrecking and dying a burning, road-rashed, broken, mess. He couldn't out-shoot them, but they sure as hell couldn't out-ride him. Hunkering down, he put his eyes back ahead where they belonged and throttled the speeder into the red. The speed took him alongside Marquis and then he overtook him. The heart-stopping impacts from his cane-rifle still could not be drowned out though. Risking another glance back he saw one of the bikers get thrown off his bike by a well-placed shot right to the chest. The speeder touched the ground before snapping up, spinning through the air and tearing itself to pieces when it hit the ground again. It's owner's fate was little different. There were only two left and one slowed and turned back. Realizing that this was pointless alone the last one gave up as well. Iisska slowed his screaming bike down so he could follow Marquis once more.
Now they were well into the desert and unsettled territory. The farther they pushed away from town the less they saw any trace of sentient life. The last person they saw was an elderly Iridonian man with an abscessed horn, battle damaged armor on his chest and one shoulder, and a large blaster rifle across his lap. He reclined on his porch, a black cigar in his mouth, and glared at the strange pair as they zipped past his property.
"Such a warm and welcoming people," Iisska smirked and rolled his eyes.
From there on the canyon started to become narrow. A smaller waterway tumbled nearly a half mile down from a jagged vertical cut in the ridge above and joined the main river. Many more would join it in a similar fashion along several more miles. The added body and depleting space transformed it into an angry frothing beast, splashing through rapids and spraying into the air as it spilled over sudden drops. It became cool and dark as the walls pushed ever inward and blocked out the sun. The canyon took a sudden turn. Ahead, towering upward in a way that defied gravity, a massive stone monolith split the river again. Beyond that a jumble of alien rock formations, arches, pits, slots and spires, carved over millennia from the constantly shifting wind, sand and water, beckoned the foolish to become lost in them.
"You must have offered them a small fortune," he commented to Sterling.
In the same room he had crashed the night before he dropped off his bag on the bunk. With a few minutes until Sterling would be ready to go he pulled the parts blaster back out and compared it to the melted one in his hip holster. Indeed they would be a good fit even though the metals had tarnished and were now different colors. No matter. He didn't carry the damn thing to look pretty. He only wished he had more time to fix it before they went out, but it would take him hours. What did that droid expect him to do on a bounty hunt like this? Wearing a puzzled look on his face he packed them both up again. Out of nowhere he heard something behind him that wasn't a humanoid shape and turned quickly. Only a fleeting movement on the edge of the entrance greeted him, but he could still feel it there. He took a few cautious steps forward and then it was gone. Creeping into the hall and poking his head around the corner his eyes confirmed it.
"Hello?" he said quietly. Nothing. He tensed upon remembering being told something about a... what was it? ... A tukata? Though he wasn't entirely sure what that was. If that had been "her," he didn't expect her to be so big... or creepy. Walking back out he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched and was almost running by the time left the air lock where Sterling was waiting of course.
With a gun.
"Where did you dig this up?" Iisska asked after being handed the rifle. That answered his weapon question.
"It's Zen's. Do not worry, he will not find out. A Tuskan Cycler. Very accurate and deadly. Not a lot of their type around these days." The rifle was light and ornate almost. Weathered from long years of use but kept pristine by it's master, Zen.
"That so?" he couldn't hold back a somewhat sinister laugh as he slung it over his back, "You're alright, know that? Where to next, boss?"
"Have to...borrow...a couple speeders from the garage over there. They may not enjoy us taking them, so a little tact may be needed."
"Borrow... Right..." he rubbed his chin in thought and felt a painful bruise there from earlier. Then raised a brow and smiled. There was more depth and purr in his voice now, "Actually, I know where there's a few that might be a little easier... and more satisfying to 'borrow.'"
"Lead the way, Friend."
Not long after the two of them ducked into a particularly shady neighborhood adjacent to the spaceport. Iisska was doing his best to keep out of sight as he had already discovered that foreigners were frowned upon in this part of town. They came to a run-down canteena partially cut into a large boulder. In front of the establishment nearly a dozen speeders were parked and ripe for the taking... As long as they were quick. He watched from his hiding spot as a group of patrons walked inside.
"This is it," he said quietly, "It should only take me a minute or two to get 'em up and running. Can you keep an eye out?"
"Is that supposed to be a cruel joke?" He looked at him, his one eye glowing white in the partial darkness."
He frowned and seemed to shrink as it hit him, "I-- Er-- No! No! That's really not what I was... It's just a phrase."
"And that was a joke." He looked at him, his eye becoming slightly pinker for a moment before he walked way to keep a lookout.
Iisska chuckled nervously, "Oh. Funny."
Taking the next opening he jogged out to where the speeders were parked, but he did not stop at the first two like any remotely intelligent sentient being would. Instead he skipped over them and the third and fourth and fifth before stopping and looking closer at the next two and grinning.
"That's them," he whispered to nobody specifically before wrenching a small side plate open on the first one. With a second or two of struggle he ripped a small circular electronic device off it's screws and threw it on the ground. Then he spliced two wires where it had been and moved on to wrenching two more out of the main console. Carefully he touched them together a couple of times, trying not to electrocute himself, and after a few more attempts the speeder roared to life. He gripped a paddle on the handle bar and clipped the plate back in place.
"Get on. Quick," he nodded to Sterling, "Keep the clutch in."
"I know how to ride a speeder, boy." He hopped onto Iisska's speeder and clamped his legs onto it via a bit of magnetism.
"I was just... Nevermind," he said jumping to the next speeder. He tried to work faster than before using the same magic trick, but this one was being far more stubborn. After at least ten tries to get current to the ignition all he had to show for it was sparks and singed fingertips. They were running out of time. Come on you little shit... The canteena door swung open and three dirty looking Zabrak came out. Their eyes snapped to the thieves at the same second Iisska finally got the bike to fire.
"You!" the first one yelled, though he was a bit stunned. His friend was already racing down the steps to another speeder.
"Shoulda killed me, jackass!" the Togruta yelled back as he jumped on and threw the machine into reverse.
The furious locals yanked blasters from their belts, having been given a great idea and open fired.
Marquis jumped onto his own, revving it and firing off, unholstering his rifle for when the bikers chase after them. He turned and started off for the desert, intent on leading Iisska towards where they needed to go.
He didn't need to be told twice to follow the droid's lead. More angered Zabrak out for blood were coming out of the doors to get a piece of the action. They tore away from the steel expanse on the speeders going down a little used dirt path that followed the river. A few homes and a small ranch or two dotted the canyon floor. The occasional outcrop in the cliffs could be used as natural corals for the reeks and the other strange, lumbering livestock that could be seen grazing on the low desert foliage that grew out from the water and collected in the shady areas along the edge of the rocks. It would have been a rather peaceful and relaxing place had there not been a biker gang hot on their heels shooting at them like a bunch of psychopaths.
Marquis seemed to be able to not only handle one of these old speeders at a neck breaking speed, but also take his eyes off the damn road, use a rifle one handed and hit targets at his back with an incredible accuracy all at the same time. He made it look as easy as walking. Iisska wanted more than anything to help but only got as far as turning to look behind him for a second or two before realizing that all he would accomplish was sending stray fire everywhere before more than likely wrecking and dying a burning, road-rashed, broken, mess. He couldn't out-shoot them, but they sure as hell couldn't out-ride him. Hunkering down, he put his eyes back ahead where they belonged and throttled the speeder into the red. The speed took him alongside Marquis and then he overtook him. The heart-stopping impacts from his cane-rifle still could not be drowned out though. Risking another glance back he saw one of the bikers get thrown off his bike by a well-placed shot right to the chest. The speeder touched the ground before snapping up, spinning through the air and tearing itself to pieces when it hit the ground again. It's owner's fate was little different. There were only two left and one slowed and turned back. Realizing that this was pointless alone the last one gave up as well. Iisska slowed his screaming bike down so he could follow Marquis once more.
Now they were well into the desert and unsettled territory. The farther they pushed away from town the less they saw any trace of sentient life. The last person they saw was an elderly Iridonian man with an abscessed horn, battle damaged armor on his chest and one shoulder, and a large blaster rifle across his lap. He reclined on his porch, a black cigar in his mouth, and glared at the strange pair as they zipped past his property.
"Such a warm and welcoming people," Iisska smirked and rolled his eyes.
From there on the canyon started to become narrow. A smaller waterway tumbled nearly a half mile down from a jagged vertical cut in the ridge above and joined the main river. Many more would join it in a similar fashion along several more miles. The added body and depleting space transformed it into an angry frothing beast, splashing through rapids and spraying into the air as it spilled over sudden drops. It became cool and dark as the walls pushed ever inward and blocked out the sun. The canyon took a sudden turn. Ahead, towering upward in a way that defied gravity, a massive stone monolith split the river again. Beyond that a jumble of alien rock formations, arches, pits, slots and spires, carved over millennia from the constantly shifting wind, sand and water, beckoned the foolish to become lost in them.
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