EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei stepped into an open spot and extended a magically charged hand in front of herself. "Yes, thank you." She responded to Sabine as she started on the portal.

Upon completing the portal, and the group stepping through to their last destination of the evening, they were met first with a wave of cool air. At least, it was cool in comparison to the sweltering heat of the swamp. The location that Meesei had selected was essentially a small island of land in the middle of several hot springs. It was one of the many places that the pack had happened upon in their travels over the years, and a favorite of several of them. They could feel the heat radiating off of the springs around them, which in turn made the normally-chilly night air of Skyrim much more comfortable. There were a few clouds in the sky, but for the most part, it was a clear night. A quick look around the area suggested that they were alone, apart from the lights of some torchbugs, so Meesei felt comfortable to relax.

---

Ahnasha locked her arm with Fendros', grinning back at him. "We shall." She answered. The pair was sure to stop for more drinks before continuing with their plans for the evening, and Ahnasha was sure to pick out a variety. It was mostly local favorites like alto wine and mead, but Ahnasha managed to find a bottle of Cyrodilic brandy as well. Although it was difficult for Ahnasha to escape her fears for her coming task, she was ready to just lose herself in Fendros' company for the night. She had never actually been to one of these dances that Fendros described, so she allowed him to lead the way.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Or, if your duties happen to align with it." Meesei suggested. "You are and have been the representative for your people to our clans. If you receive another assignment to serve that role again, well, that would entail months of traveling. Your superiors would think nothing of it if you were gone for an extended duration. Of course, then the challenge becomes getting me away from my duties. Still, I wonder if there is anything in the foreseeable future that might prompt such an assignment? Do you think your people would be willing to help kill a Dragon to help stop Vile? I would certainly not turn down a warship or two. Of course, the Empire would also have to be informed, since the island is just off of High Rock."

Meesei noticed Lunise's discomfort, and though she seemed to have a solution for herself, Meesei took it as a sign that they may need to move on with their evening. She did not want the splendor of Thorn to be spoiled by the heat, after all. "Well, regardless of what opportunities we may or may not get, do you feel like you would like to go to the hot springs now to round out our evening?"

---

Ahnasha smiled widely, grabbing the wine from Fendros' hand and finishing off the last bit of what was in the bottle. "See, now that sounds like fun. It's always a good laugh seeing what you call 'dancing.'" She teased, lightly elbowing him in the side.

Holding up the bottle of wine, Ahnasha looked through the glass and swirled it around slightly as if there were something still within. "Of course, there's no way we're going anywhere without more wine."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"It is true that we are bound by blood, but it is the fact that we are a family that brings us closest together." Meesei explained. "And you do not need to be a lycan to become part of the family. Take Sabine's sister, for instance. Right now, she would be greeted as a hero by any lycan clan in Tamriel. What she did for us is greater than what almost any single individual could accomplish, and not only that, but she also understands us. She lived among our clan for about a year's time, came to know us and understand how we live. You do not need lycan blood to show that you understand and respect us. And I can promise, that respect would be returned in kind."

Meesei began to imagine the possibilities of what they could possibly try in the future, some of which were rather exciting to her. Do you know what I would like to do one day? I would like to show you what it is truly like to live as I do. I have described it many times, I now, but words can only go so far. I would love to show you what we are, and to allow you to live as we do, if only for a while. I want to give you the chance to understand why I would choose this life for myself, despite all of the stress and challenges it brings. Unfortunately, the clans still cannot know of you, and both of us are very busy women besides that. Still, you would always be welcome among my pack. Perhaps one day, the stars will align, and the both of us will have the opportunity to just run away with one another into the wilds for a few months. You could live with myself and my pack, away from all of our worries. We could live like we used to before the clans, before all of this. I think you would enjoy it far more than you think you might."

---

Ahnasha rubbed her temple, considering Fendros' suggestions. "Still, I don't think there's much of a reason to give him something specific to worry about. At least if we don't tell him, he has the option of telling himself we might not be in that much danger. He might be able to keep himself from getting distracted on his own scouting missions. If he can't keep his head clear, though, I definitely agree. She could help him."

Ahnasha huffed along with another thought that went through her mind. "Wonderful, now I'm probably going to end up distracting myself worrying that Rhazii is going to be distracted worrying about me. How about we just take some time away from this tonight and have some fun? Enjoy ourselves? What do you feel like doing around the city?"

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

If anyone who gets accepted is debating about where to start, I can say that I intend to start on Paradise, above Ilos Minor, so at least one person will be there.

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Name: Sirka Rhiko

Species: Ssi-ruu

Age: 30

Appearance:

Ssi-ruu

Stands at 2.15 meters, and at a weight of 355 kg.

Faction: Unaffiliated

Equipment: Like most Ssi-ruu, Sirka wears only bandoliers across her chest to carry her belongings, along with whatever holsters she needs. Her primary weapon is a heavy repeating blaster rifle, attached to a power pack on her back. As a sidearm, she carries an E-11 blaster rifle, and a one-handed variant of a vibro-ax as a backup weapon. She carries a bandolier with a small number of stun grenades, and usually a single thermal detonator.
Skills (and abilities)

• Close to medium range combat specialist
• Strength equivalent to an adult wookiee
• Thick, blaster resistant hide
• Very keen sense of smell (able to detect changes in the emotional state of species with which she is familiar)
• Triple eyelids resist sudden bursts of light
• Growing knowledge of grenades and explosive devices
• Surprising speed and grace for a creature of her size, when not encumbered by equipment

Weaknesses:

• Long-range combat
• Eyesight poorer than that of a human
• Skill set not terribly varied beyond combat
• Stands out in a crowd, or any other situation
• While Ssi-ruu do possess natural agility, that agility is diminished when wielding her primary blaster
• Little to no stealth capabilities

History: Destiny is not a concept in which Sirka believes, but it can certainly be said that fortune has both blessed and cursed Sirka to great degrees throughout her life, starting even before she could form memories. It started with a group of Trandoshan hunters exploring unknown areas of the outer rim for new and challenging game to hunt. Though their expedition was not terribly successful and ended with quite a few casualties on their side, Sirka’s egg was one of the trophies taken. She might have been raised as an oddity or slave among them, but her fortune turned when the Trandoshans ran afoul of a Jedi investigating pirates in the area. Being a member of an unknown species, it was only due to the Jedi’s acute observations and senses that she was identified as a sentient creature at all.

Devoid of any connection to the force, the young reptilian was, unfortunately, unable to remain at the temple. Once the Jedi made that determination, they did at least assist in finding her a home. After some consideration and searching, she ended up in the care of a trusted Togruta couple on Coruscant, as they were merchants who did regular business with the Jedi Order. They were a reasonably wealthy couple who wanted to give a good life to their new daughter, whom they named Sirka, but once more, fortune’s pendulum swung in the other direction for her. The rise of the Empire destroyed the life that her parents had established. They avoided being caught in the initial transition, but their former association with the Jedi Order caused them to flee Imperial space out of fear for their lives.

While they were able to flee with some of their assets, Sirka’s family ultimately lost most of the wealth they had. They, like many others, ended up as poor refugees on Nar Shaddaa. What was more, Sirka’s mother had already been pregnant with another child before they fled, so they had two daughters to support.

After some time, Sirka ended up growing much larger, and much more quickly than her parents could have expected. And that, of course, came with more expensive requirements for her care. Sirka grew up in cramped, often unsanitary conditions, with nothing in the form of luxuries simply because her parents wanted to make sure that their children did not go hungry. Even then, they had to sacrifice their own meals from time to time. In as lawless and unforgiving of a place as the Smugglers’ Moon was, it would have been simple for them to abandon Sirka, but they pressed on through her formative years, even when that meant resorting to more unsavory methods of supporting their family. Fortunately, their dedication was rewarded once Sirka was grown.

Given Sirka's species, she matured more quickly than a Togruta, and that growth had shaped her into an over-2-meter-tall, 350 kilogram beast of a reptilian. There was no form of formal school system in their part of Nar Shaddaa, so her parents had attempted to teach her whatever skills and knowledge they could to the best of their ability, but ultimately, her physical attributes were more suited to more dangerous work. She started off as a bodyguard that, through mere intimidation factor, rarely had to fight anyone, but she was drawn into other kinds of better paying mercenary work over time. She acquired her first blaster on the same day that she learned her scales were, in fact, resistant to blaster fire, and taught herself to shoot from there. Physical limitations with her eyesight prevented her from becoming too great of a marksman, but her circumstances and abilities forged her into a talented mercenary. At her sister’s insistence, Sirka has attempted to avoid falling into the trap of relying on her unique natural traits and has tried to keep improving herself, at least as far as it will help her work. In particular, she worked on how to use and understand grenades and other explosive devices. All the while, she used her growing income not only to support, but start improving the lives of her family.

Pleasantly for Sirka, she was able to help move her parents to a better part of Nar Shaddaa: a place that was reasonably safe, by the moon’s standards. After all of the sacrifices they made for her, she found herself dedicated to repaying them. She has become fairly successful as a freelance mercenary and has gone into business with her sister, Delni Rhiko. While Delni does not join in fighting, she does have a knack for business and helps her sister to find opportunities, and to make the best use of the funds they have. Although, Sirka still hopes to move even farther up the galaxy’s economic ladder to provide an even better lifestyle for herself and her family.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Do not worry, I do not intend to put anything inside you." Meesei replied, though after a moment, she nudged Lunise's shoulder with a sly grin. "Well...at least not a child, at any rate."

Meesei kept her suggestive grin for only a moment before returning her attention to Sabine and Karl. "I do not know your family well enough to comment on them, but I do think you could be a part of my pack. You would not be the first non-lycan to be accepted as one of us. Sabine's sister does not share our blood, but we consider her nothing less than family. Not to mention, the number of non-lycans who live in our clan is not insignificant. It does help if they would enjoy a good mammoth hunt from time to time, but it is not a strict requirement."

---

Ahnasha slowly shook her head, her eyes still closed from Fendros' massage. "It's not about him interfering. I just don't want him worrying when there's nothing he can do. No matter what happens, it won't make anything better for him to spend the entire night lying awake worrying about if I'm going to be coming back."

After another drink, Ahnasha reached up and offered the bottle to Fendros, though her mind was still obviously occupied. "What Darahil said does have me worried, though. People are all sorts of irrational about the undead. What if bringing them along ends up just sabotaging the whole plan? What if I go through all this for nothing? I wish there was some way we could use them without making it obvious that they were reanimated. I mean, chaurus are weird enough on their own that they might not notice them being undead in the heat of the fight, but they would definitely figure it out looking at the bodies afterwards."

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Name: Sirka Rhiko

Species: Ssi-ruu

Age: 30

Appearance:

Ssi-ruu

Stands at 2.15 meters, and at a weight of 355 kg.

Faction: Unaffiliated

Equipment: Like most Ssi-ruu, Sirka wears only bandoliers across her chest to carry her belongings, along with whatever holsters she needs. Her primary weapon is a heavy repeating blaster rifle, attached to a power pack on her back. As a sidearm, she carries an E-11 blaster rifle, and a one-handed variant of a vibro-ax as a backup weapon. She carries a bandolier with a small number of stun grenades, and usually a single thermal detonator.
Skills (and abilities)

• Close to medium range combat specialist
• Strength equivalent to an adult wookiee
• Thick, blaster resistant hide
• Very keen sense of smell (able to detect changes in the emotional state of species with which she is familiar)
• Triple eyelids resist sudden bursts of light
• Growing knowledge of grenades and explosive devices
• Surprising speed and grace for a creature of her size, when not encumbered by equipment

Weaknesses:

• Long-range combat
• Eyesight poorer than that of a human
• Skill set not terribly varied beyond combat
• Stands out in a crowd, or any other situation
• While Ssi-ruu do possess natural agility, that agility is diminished when wielding her primary blaster
• Little to no stealth capabilities

History: Destiny is not a concept in which Sirka believes, but it can certainly be said that fortune has both blessed and cursed Sirka to great degrees throughout her life, starting even before she could form memories. It started with a group of Trandoshan hunters exploring unknown areas of the outer rim for new and challenging game to hunt. Though their expedition was not terribly successful and ended with quite a few casualties on their side, Sirka’s egg was one of the trophies taken. She might have been raised as an oddity or slave among them, but her fortune turned when the Trandoshans ran afoul of a Jedi investigating pirates in the area. Being a member of an unknown species, it was only due to the Jedi’s acute observations and senses that she was identified as a sentient creature at all.

Devoid of any connection to the force, the young reptilian was, unfortunately, unable to remain at the temple. Once the Jedi made that determination, they did at least assist in finding her a home. After some consideration and searching, she ended up in the care of a trusted Togruta couple on Coruscant, as they were merchants who did regular business with the Jedi Order. They were a reasonably wealthy couple who wanted to give a good life to their new daughter, whom they named Sirka, but once more, fortune’s pendulum swung in the other direction for her. The rise of the Empire destroyed the life that her parents had established. They avoided being caught in the initial transition, but their former association with the Jedi Order caused them to flee Imperial space out of fear for their lives.

While they were able to flee with some of their assets, Sirka’s family ultimately lost most of the wealth they had. They, like many others, ended up as poor refugees on Nar Shaddaa. What was more, Sirka’s mother had already been pregnant with another child before they fled, so they had two daughters to support.

After some time, Sirka ended up growing much larger, and much more quickly than her parents could have expected. And that, of course, came with more expensive requirements for her care. Sirka grew up in cramped, often unsanitary conditions, with nothing in the form of luxuries simply because her parents wanted to make sure that their children did not go hungry. Even then, they had to sacrifice their own meals from time to time. In as lawless and unforgiving of a place as the Smugglers’ Moon was, it would have been simple for them to abandon Sirka, but they pressed on through her formative years, even when that meant resorting to more unsavory methods of supporting their family. Fortunately, their dedication was rewarded once Sirka was grown.

Given Sirka's species, she matured more quickly than a Togruta, and that growth had shaped her into an over-2-meter-tall, 350 kilogram beast of a reptilian. There was no form of formal school system in their part of Nar Shaddaa, so her parents had attempted to teach her whatever skills and knowledge they could to the best of their ability, but ultimately, her physical attributes were more suited to more dangerous work. She started off as a bodyguard that, through mere intimidation factor, rarely had to fight anyone, but she was drawn into other kinds of better paying mercenary work over time. She acquired her first blaster on the same day that she learned her scales were, in fact, resistant to blaster fire, and taught herself to shoot from there. Physical limitations with her eyesight prevented her from becoming too great of a marksman, but her circumstances and abilities forged her into a talented mercenary. At her sister’s insistence, Sirka has attempted to avoid falling into the trap of relying on her unique natural traits and has tried to keep improving herself, at least as far as it will help her work. In particular, she worked on how to use and understand grenades and other explosive devices. All the while, she used her growing income not only to support, but start improving the lives of her family.

Pleasantly for Sirka, she was able to help move her parents to a better part of Nar Shaddaa: a place that was reasonably safe, by the moon’s standards. After all of the sacrifices they made for her, she found herself dedicated to repaying them. She has become fairly successful as a freelance mercenary and has gone into business with her sister, Delni Rhiko. While Delni does not join in fighting, she does have a knack for business and helps her sister to find opportunities, and to make the best use of the funds they have. Although, Sirka still hopes to move even farther up the galaxy’s economic ladder to provide an even better lifestyle for herself and her family.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei remained close enough to Lunise that she could speak quietly in her ear. "It is an experience I wish I could give you. As a pack, our lives are bound together. We work for each other, and rely upon one another, so it was easier for me to raise a daughter than it perhaps could have been. I would have hated to have been forced apart from her for months on end. Unfortunately, I cannot impregnate you, so I cannot give you a child by blood."

A warm grin formed on Meesei's face as she continued to observe Sabine and Karl. "Although...if their love is as true as they feel it is, then perhaps one day, we could share the experience of being grandparents?"

---

"Can I pull it off? Of course. Do'rhajul and his ilk aren't all-knowing, and they can be outwitted. But, I can't guarantee it. Anything could go wrong, at any point. I'll feel a bit better with something close by to back me up, but still...no guarantees. If I'm spotted at the wrong time, or at the wrong spot, then they might just cut me down right then and there, no matter how many reinforcements there are. All we can do is reduce the risk as much as possible."

Ahnasha took another, even larger swig. She definitely was not looking to pace herself. "Never tell Rhazii about this. He'd worry himself to death if he knew I was willing to try something like this. But, it has to be done; no getting around it. We deal with Do'rhajul, kill that dragon, then we invade Oblivion. After that, I'm done. No more suicidal missions, no more impossible odds, I'm going to retire from all of this. Besides, once you've killed a god, there isn't really anything left to hunt, is there?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei required hardly any time to think of how to respond. "It was the most rewarding experience of my life, without a doubt." She answered, smiling in the direction of Sabine with her head resting upon Lunise's shoulder. "She was lost, alone when she found us. She had been through such horrible suffering while just a girl. I can still hardly bear to think about it. I did not step in to the role of being her mother immediately; it took a while for me to start seeing her as more than just a quiet girl who had some usefulness to the pack. Perhaps it was just my relative inexperience with Humans at the time, but I could not see the pain behind her eyes right away. But, well, like you said, people change. I am a different person now than I was then."

With her ruminations on the past, Meesei's emotions were quickly getting the better of her. "Once I started to know her, to understand her, I felt such pain for her. I wanted to help her, and did everything within my power to do so. So many years it has been, to experience her grow and develop into the woman she is now. Every birthday, every accomplishment. Every new friend, every new spell, every potion. All of the failures and successes, all the pain and joy. She has shaped my life just as much as I have shaped hers. I would not be near the woman I am now were it not for Sabine, of that I am certain. She has been my motivation, my drive to be better. I have long wanted to give her the world I want her to be able to live in. But all of my power and discoveries are nothing compared to the pride I have in her. She has become a powerful mage who will one day surpass me, and is already a brilliant alchemist. And above that, she is such a kind and compassionate person. Sabine makes me feel...fulfilled. No accomplishment I ever attain will surpass her, and because of her, I could die happy right now without a single regret."

As she spoke, Meesei's eyes started to well with tears.

---

"It's hard to disagree, unfortunately. And worst of all, the whole thing is hinging on the chance that one of them might turn disloyal based on what's in that book. Sure, I guess I could sneak in there with a dagger instead of a book, try to finish one off, but that would be even riskier. Our only other option is to attack, but I have no idea how to keep them from running away again. We could attack, but bringing in more warriors just guarantees that people will die. This is the least risky plan we have, even if it is still as dangerous as the lakes of Oblivion." Ahnasha answered with a sharp sense of frustration in her tone.

True to her word, Ahnasha led the way straight to the kitchens and grabbed herself a strong bottle of alto wine. She was quite understandably stressed, and did not hesitate to take a swig as soon as she had a seat.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"And yet, you still deserve even more than I can give." Meesei replied. Shifting her body, Meesei put both of her arms around Lunise and holding her tightly enough that their bodies were pressed together. For a while, she simply stared into her eyes, her snout just barely brushing against the tip of Lunise's nose. Eventually, she closed her eyes and allowed herself the pleasure of kissing her properly, and did not give much thought to keeping it brief.

Eventually, Meesei stopped for long enough to give herself the chance to look around the area. Specifically, she looked to see where Sabine and Karl were, and what they were doing. In the moment, she had almost forgotten about them.

---

Ahnasha's ear twitched towards Fendros when she heard her name. She let out a long breath, and dropped the composed posture she had kept for the meeting. "Like you wouldn't believe. Not like I can do much to prepare until Meesei or Sabine get back."

Ahnasha slowed down to walk alongside Fendros and grabbed his hand. "Something strong. How about we go find something that will knock me on my tail, then have ourselves a night we won't remember?" She suggested with a chuckle.