Aftermath Session IV

[baronsamedi]

After putting this away last time, stuff happened during the night. Namri relieved me of my post at the door, and I went to bed. I did not have time to settle in before Jek showed up at my door and said there was trouble outside. I accompanied Jek and Namri outside, where Sigma (without his arm cannons) was keeping an eye on things. Two shadowy types were creeping toward Sheela’s V-19 Torrent. Apparently an Aqualish had been there earlier watching it. Now, at first, because I kept hearing about imperial spies, I assumed that people were trying to keep an eye on us because they were working for that Stormtrooper chick. I was wrong.

Anyway, Sigma snuck around. Jek called them out, and they rose, being a human female and a Rodian guy. The Rodian guy pulled a Heavy Blaster Pistol and the woman ran. Threatening us with a blaster does not sit well with me, so I drew my own Heavy Blaster and yelled at him. He got this panicky look on his face (I have gotten where I can read Rodians pretty well thanks to Greegan and Sheela) and fired at me. I moved forward to get all up in his shit, but Sigma shot him from behind with a stun set blast. Namri managed trip the human girl with her staff before she could get away. While I lifted the Rodian, Jek asked the human if they were having a rendezvous, and she spat out some invectives against “disgusting Rodians.” I thought that was pretty uncalled for. Some Rodians are pretty cute. I think Sheela is really hot, myself. I was not paying much attention…I was really mad. I picked up the Rodian guy by his antenna, having seen Sheela twist Greegan’s a lot as an act of punishment, so I though this would work. I held him eye to eye so he was about a half a meter off the ground.

Unfortunately, all he did was scream a lot. He did not even seem to care I had a gun on him, so I dropped him. I was not really out to torture anyone, and he was apparently in too much pain to speak. Namri did not yell at me so I am sure it was not too bad though. I put my foot on his chest and my gun to his head. That, shifting my weight, and strategic yelling seemed to do the trick; he broke and spilled everything. Apparently I really am scary. I vaguely remember scaring Nika on the way to bed, but she is scared of everything capable of defending itself.

Apparently his captain, a captain Rhell of the Asteroid’s Blister, had some beef with Sheela’s squadron, the Black Nexu Squadron. They were sent to sabotage her Torrent. They were less clever then us, or at least less violent. Jek elected to turn them over to the authorities. When some Stormtroopers came by, he handed them over and explained what happened. They took the two away.

Back on the Sunrise, Jek woke Sheela and explained the events to her. Sheela was enraged, but did not really remember them. Brains really aren’t what we keep her around for…admittedly, they are not my strong suit either. With some very patient coaxing, Jek managed to get her to remember the squadron took in most of the crew of the Asteroid’s Blister. I was distracted by her being barely dressed, as was poor Greegan when he happened by to see what the commotion was about. She went out to help Sigma keep an eye on things. I went to bed. I mean it was late.

Oh, Jek made reference to the fact maybe Sheela ought to get rid of her Black Nexu squadron logo. She was VERY resistant, noting she was the last of her Squadron and had to carry her companion’s memory. While Jek’s words made a lot of sense…I am very sympathetic to her side. I lost my family too.

The next morning, we had the inspection. Turned out the Stormtrooper lady had recognized Jek. She had apparently attended academy with his son. She even asked him to dinner. A “professional” dinner apparently, or whatever they say to keep people from whispering. I do think Jek sort of had his eye on her…I don’t blame him really. Anyway, The inspection at that point was obligatory, and went fairly smoothly. They did not search too carefully.

After she left, Jek mentioned he had gone to talk to the clones and Khayall in their hideout, and he mentioned some problems locally we may should talk to San Pia about. So we went to Min’s Fountain shortly after the Stormtroopers left. Jek was sorta in the lead, but it was him and me, Paelle, Sheela, Greegan, and Sigma. Namri and Nika stayed behind to watch the ship. Anyway, San Pia was sort of amused that we traded the “Kubaz” for Sigma (I think Tycho has the disguise currently) but did not mention it. Jek managed to convey we wanted to talk quietly to her, and she directed us to a windy balcony. There, we talked and she discussed some of the Imperial excesses, largely stuff we found at the library. Here they had, as we had heard, cleared out Raumu but for a few workers to do some secret project. It turns out there is an Utai named Pithpa Domu who has been in some communication with San Pia’s partisans and rescuing him could give quite a bit of information as to what is going on. San wanted us to slip through some underground caves that lead to Raumu and guide him back to Pau City. She warned we should be ready if he was being pursued too, but Jek did not seem afraid to compromise his “cover” as loyal friend to the Empire (and chances with the commander).

We were generally interested in the job. Sheela, a bit forwardly, asked about recompense. San Pia seemed a bit put off by this, but Jek quickly smoothed things over by noting we were very short of resources and something would probably be helpful, though he managed to pull it off without sounding mercenary about it. San noted she had some contacts she could introduce us to that could prove more useful then money. We agreed to help.

We went back. Jek went to dinner with his imperial buddy, and I went to go talk to Aya, who was with the clones. This was our second dangerous mission, and being glad to see each other, things took more of a turn then I intended. While we did not actually mate, we went from talking to kissing to exploring rather quickly.

I have not really touched anyone in that way in several years. While the prospect of mating with someone is very much something I want to do (indeed, there are three beautiful women on the ship!) it seems…disrespectful, not giving her due to mate with Aya. Aya is a lady of quality. Not a simple roll in the hay type of person. Unfortunately, I am not sure I am ready for a not a simple roll in the hay type of experience. And Aya really deserves someone less damaged then me. I shouldn’t have kissed and touched her, but I did, and I felt much, much better afterward.

I hated to leave, but had to get back to rest before our full day. She touched her forehead to my eyestalk and asked me to be careful. I promised I would but I had to protect everyone. As it turns out, I am really glad I tacked that last part on there.

I returned to the ship to find that Sigma had shut down for a bit, Greegan had turned in at his cot, and Nika had begun taking Sigma apart. Sigma awoke after she made off with his legs and awakened Greegan, and they were in the midst of an argument when I arrived. Unfortunately, probably due to my…relaxed…state, I found the whole thing unbearably hilarious. I was no help at all. Greegan managed to talk Nika into putting Sigma back together with him, though it seemed to be a chore. Jek arrived back then and everything was alright. I hope he had at least as much fun that evening as I did. Paelle arrived and declared that...OK...he did not feel anything in or around Pau City, and because General Kenobi had died and he did not feel anything, there must be something suspicious. So rather then help us, he was going to go...investigate...the…thing...he...did...not...feel. Which makes sense only if you have been hit in the head several times, but that is the Jedi for you. I think their tiny heads restrict blood flow.

The next morning, Eth Valan showed up looking mortally terrifying as per, and cheerfully lead us to the lizard pens. That’s right, to go under Pau City we were going to ride those awesome lizards. Namri, who being way better at sensing things then tiny-headed Paelle was left behind while he went to go look into…what he...could not...sense...was with us, along with Jek, Greegan, Sigma, Sheela and me. Nika remained on ship to hide in case someone came along. Namri and Sheela had their BARC Speeders, Greegan that ugly walker thing, Sigma his STAP, and me and Jek got to ride lizards along with our guide, a Utai named Senin Vant. He called our lizards Varactyls, which I am pretty sure is Utai for “Awesome damn lizard” or “Badass chirping lizard” or…uh…anyway…we were given a crash course on it and we set off.

We had lights on our vehicles or lizards as the case may be, and on helmets (though most of my light was blocked by my eyestalk). We proceeded at a brisk pace. I had to get called down for having my lizard walk on the wall and the ceiling, but I did that because it was awesome and I want to see a BARC Speeder do that. It can’t, because it is less awesome then these lizards, who are awesome. However, despite the awesomeness of the lizard I was riding (which was awesome) I began to notice signs of some large creature in the area. Senin helpfully and terrifiedly identified these as signs of a Nos Monster (that is the technical classification I think) who lived down there and looked sort of like a Bunyip. Being big and ferocious we wanted to avoid them if possible, so moved carefully. I was happy, because my training paid off and I was able to warn people off to be careful. Well, I was happy till we got to the chamber.

We entered a huge chamber with a lot of deep water that was perfect for a Nos Monster ambush. I warned to proceed carefully, and as we moved across the narrow land bridge a large aggressive bull attacked as I had predicted. It’s initial swipe went at Jek, who managed to dodge by jumping off his lizard which fled in terror. Everyone opened up on it at that point. I managed to draw it’s attention by making loud sounds. It bit me and lifted me off the ground, but it did not hurt too bad really, I was more worried about upsetting Aya. Not liking the prospect of being shot in the head, it threw me but I got some good shots off at it as I went across the chamber. It did not survive long enough for a third attack. Namri examined me and thought I was dying, I think, but I was fine. It was just a flesh wound.

Unfortunately, Jek’s lizard was lost so he had to ride with Senin, which was not bad because Senin is small. We traveled for awhile until we found Pithpa’s hideaway. I managed to coax him into getting on my lizard with me just as the first of his pursuers arrived, a probe droid. We burned it under a withering barrage of fire and fled quickly. Unfortunately, the troops were traveling in those silly AT-RTs like Greegan, from the sound of their movements and travel speed, so we needed a plan. As we went though the big cave, it occurred to me I saw signs of a Nos Monster family, so as we went through the far end I ordered everyone to fire into the water, which they did. Sheela went so far as to do a swipe over the water firing to disturb it with her wake. Sure enough, an angry Nos Monster rose up just as we disappeared, and we heard it engage the Imperials behind us. But they were slowed enough we escaped, though once we had a lead I had us employ some counter tracking techniques as best we could given Greegan’s machine. My favorite counter tracking technique was, of course, running on the ceiling.

We got back. I bid my awesome lizard goodbye. It went off to be awesome somewhere else. Pithpa revealed the Imperials were building some sort of vault at Raumu. Had a bunch of lightsabers, some Cyborg parts from the Separatist general guy, stuff like that. They were going to “recolonize” which means enslave the workers when done. Unfortunately, there was not much we could do. Apparently Tion Medon was similarly recolonized…to Eriadu. San Pia spoke to us about doing something about these things, but I really don’t know that we can right now. We will have to talk. She gave us her contact’s name, one Ero Rameeda, a Rodian who is based on…Suarbi 7, shockingly. We need to discuss what to do next. We need to find Paelle whenever he is done looking into...what he was not feeling…but right now. I am supposed to lay down. Aya is not very happy with me. Something about the fact this huge bite was taken out of me.

...I’m fine, really.