Disclaimer: We don't own Titan AE, we don't own the species in it, we don't own Pepsi. However, we do own our characters, and our species we have created. This is a roleplay-made-story. No stealing our characters (my rabid beavers are hungry *hint hint*), and no suing us, we aren't making any money off of this.BRBR
Copyrights: In order of appearance
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Vlah'do, Karn, Bild, Sovwren, etc, Habbek, Pacal, and the entire court, the igonian species, the squemetan species, Tahu-Dazu, and the the city's name are (C) Ootzer 2001BR
Azure, Hoth, Hikori, Lirpa, Iris, Yavin, and the rest of the ArchAngel crew are copyright (C) Arrow Tibbs 2001BR
Rekk is copyright (C) Rekk 2001BRBR
The Road to Nami Muro
BRBR
New Earth didn't turn out as was planned. The planet itself was much larger than old Earth making the times longer than people where used to. A normal day was thirty-two hours long, and a year was four hundred four days long. The atmosphere wasn't fully conditioned, and the entire planet was hotter than normal, which made it so only the plants adapted to that climate could survive. Basically, from the equator to almost right next to the poles the planet was jungle. More of the planet was water than the old Earth, there were five oceans and nine seas; only about one third of New Earth was land. BRBR
Vlah'do, an Akrennian, and Karn, an Igonian waded to shore after having apparently taken a swim. Vlah'do was coughing and choking and spitting water while Karn quietly stood beside him and offered any assistance he could. They walked ashore and looked around. They were on a shore that met a plain that slowly turned to forest.BRBR
Vlah'do was the first to speak, "We managed to escape with our lives..."BR
Karn laughed at this.BRBR
Vlah'do frowned, "I'm serious."BR
"You thought you were going to drown back there?" Karn asked.BR
"Yes!" Was the responce.BR
"Well, you might have had it not been for the emergency escape hatch," Karn smiled sarcastically.BRBR
Vlah'do was clearly not amused. "We cant just head out like this, we need some supplies. The IVoid Sprite/I is designed to be less dense than water, it should float to the surface. That's where you come in."BR
"You want me to swim out to the ship and get some stuff?" BR
Vlah'do paused, thinking. "No, I want you to take me out there and I'll get the things we need. Is that going to be too hard?"BR
Karn rubbed his hands together, "No problem at all. You can swim right?" he smiled, "I'll just grab you if you start to go down for the third time."BR
"Not funny."BR
"I can see the ship over there."BR
Vlah'do looked out to sea, "I see it. Let's go."BRBR
Vlah'do and Karn dove in and swam about three hundred meters to the ship, where he and Karn did a series of dives into the half-submerged space ship, and eventually were able to salvage a small black case and two large backpacks, along with various other items. Including a large knife, a blaster and Vlah'do's wallet.BR
Vlah'do sat on the Sea Sprite's hull and caught his breath.BRBR
"Are you ready?" Karn asked.BR
Vlah'do was breathing heavily, "One sec... This is why I brought you along, to help me get this stuff back."BR
Karn snorted, "Oh come on. It's maybe two hundred meters away from the beach!"BR
Vlah'do frowned, "Hey! I'm not as... bouyant as you."BR
"Granted, but still, swimming is a skill that you have to have."BR
"Maybe on Tahu-Dzo pal, but on P'Lochda's space platforms there isn't barely enough water for you to take a bath in."BR
"Well, no better time like the present to learn how."BRBR
Karn gracefully dove in the water with the case and a back-pack and was ten meters away before Vlah'do was even able to get his pack on. The akrennian jumped in.BR
After jumping in, he sank under the water and was unable to get to the surface. He tried to unfasten the pack but one of the waist straps got caught on his belt.BR
Vlah'do managed only to get his head above water and gasp out, "Karn... Help!"
BRBR
***BRBR
Azure leaned on the console and sighed, murmering along with the song on the ArchAngel's speakers. She was so jaded. "Hoth, I can't believe you keep leaving open gaps between shipments...A month?" BRBR
"YOU'RE complaining about NOT having work?" Hoth cocked his head incredulously. "That's a first." His eyeridges raised as he nodded slowly.BR
Azure shrugged. "Well, at least we'd be doing something...."BR
"I thought you LIKED a lazy period, what's the universe coming to? Azure, do you feel alright?" Hoth put a hand to Azure's forehead in a joking immitation of a human mother.BRBR
Azure frowned at her mate and looked back out the veiwport. "I'm just bored to death...Pepsi hasn't kicked in yet..."BR
Hoth's ears swiveled for a moment, as if making a decision, before moving up. He patted Azure's ears fondly and looked out the veiwport. Suddenly he stood up and leaned closer to the thick glass. "What's that...?" He muttered.BR
Azure's ears perked and she craned her neck to see. "What? Where?"BR
"There! See!" Hoth pointed at a specific point beyond the ArchAngel's nose. He keyed in the area into the computer and got a magnifide image. The pair looked at each other for a moment before bolting towards the huge cargo bay, and the skiff. BRBR
***BRBR
Karn had not heard Vlah'do's cry for help, but turned in time to see him sinking into the depths, being dragged down by the pack tangled in his belt. He swam frantically over to him and grabbed him underneath the arms and tried to pull him to the surface. After struggling with the load, he drew a knife and cut the strap of the backpack and sent it hurtling to the depths below. Karn did his best to keep Vlah'do's head above the water, but it wouldn't have mattered because he had stopped breathing.BRBR
Completely unexpectedly, a skiff pulled up along side Karn as he dragged the limp body of Vlah'do through the water. BRBR
Azure smiled slightly, "Need a lift?" Azure and Hoth helped Karn drag the lifeless form of Vlah'do out of the water and sprawled him across the deck of the small boat. BRBR
"What happened?" Hoth asked, looking at Vlah'do with worry written on his face even though he didn't even know Vlah'do.BR
Karn stammered, "He - he was drowning." He quickly got to work. He knew what to do, but didn't know how to do it to an Akrennian. Where was his lungs? Where would he have to press to get him breathing again? There was no time for second thoughts, so Karn started CPR the best he could.BRBR
Azure yelled to her mate, "Hoth, go get a first aid kit!"
Hoth swiftly went to the bow of the skiff to retrieve one from the compatment there as Karn desperately struggled to get Vlah'do to breathe. He was not succeding.BRBR
Azure shook her head rapidly, "Nono, its right... HERE!" Azure practiacally struck Vlah'do in the stomach with the palm of her hand. A promising cough escaped Vlah'do's mouth as well as a lot of water. Karn looked at Azure with amazement as Vlah'do came around. He propped up Vlah'do's head and the water drained from his mouth all over the floor of the boat. BR
Hoth returned with a small metal box with a red cross on it. BRBR
Azure waved a hand at him, "No need Hoth, he's coming around nicely..."BR
Hoth grumbled, "Always sending me on stupid errands..."BR
Karn saw Vlah'do slowly coming around. "Yeah, hes going to be fine. But tell me, where did you guys come from?"
"We were out over those mountains over there and picked you p on our scopes," Hoth said over his shoulder as he headed for the bow again.BR
"I guess that we're really lucky..." Karn said. Vlah'do coughed and stirred.BRBR
"So tell me, what are you two doing in the middle of the ocean? Is that your ship over there?" Azure asked.BR
Karn nodded, "Yeah, we hit some bad weather landing. There was a sulphur storm and we got damaged and crashed. But the ship remained intact and we went back to get some supplies and he started to drown on the way back. We're headed to Nami Muro."
Hoth raised an eyeridge, "You're pretty off course. Nami Muro is a long way."BRBR
***BRBR
Rekk walked down into the cargo bay. "Been lookin for you guies everywhe-..." He stopped and looked around, the bay empty.BRBR
***BRBR
Vlah'do woke and groaned, the floor of the skiff obviously wasn't that soft, "What... where am I?"
Karn looked down at him, "Try not to move to much Vlah'do, you swallowed a lot of seawater."
"Tell me about it. I think I may have lowered the sea level a little. Man, no need to worry about global warming any more." Vlah'do said, looking up at Hoth and Azure. "Whoa, who are you?"BRBR
"We're from the ship over there, The IArchAngel/I." Azure jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "I'm Azure." She grinned, holding out a hand.BR
"Hoth." Hoth nodded his his head in greeting. BRBR
Vlah'do accepted Azure's hand and thought she was trying to help him up. When he pulled, she fell on top of him. They both scrambled to their feet, embarrased.BR
"Err, excuse me." Vlah'do said, flattening his ears.BR
Hoth snickered as Vlah'do shook his and Azure's hands with an embaressed look. "Ummm, I'd like to thank you for... saving me. But tell me, what happened? How did I... did you get here?"BRBR
Karn vollunteered an explaination, "You got dragged down and I dragged you to the surface and when I was going back to shore their boat pulled up. How did you guys get here?"BR
"We were over those mountains and saw your ship, and you trying to fish with your mouth, so we lowered the skiff and here we are." Hoth smiled.BR
Azure locked her eyes on the igonian and other akrennian. "I have some things I'd like to know, but first, please introduce yourselves."BRBR
"I am Karn, an igonian from Tahu-Dzo. I am a diplomat sent to negotiate an animal release treaty." Karn said.BR
Vlah'do smiled and bowed elegantly. "And I am Vlah'do of Kodah. Humble servant to my father's whims. He sent me with Karn to this planet. Why he chose me I dont know, I think he had some alterior motive behind it because I see no reason why I had to come and not..."BR
Karn cut in with, "But that's not important. I'm sure that your father's intentions are soley for your benefit. Like he says, we can learn a lot from the humans."BR
Vlah'do looked surprised. "How do you know so much about my old man?BR
Karn smiled, "You aren't the only one who wondered through space for years. Before you were even a conception your father met my father who was also a diplomat. I vaguely remember meeting him in my childhood just after he married your mother and became a Kodah. "BR
"Wow, you know more about my dad than I do." Vlah'do said, clearly amazed.BR
Hoth spoke up, "Well, this is all very heart warming, but we left our ship unattended and Rekk inside. I think we'd better return to it before he does something..."
Azure put out a hand to stop her mate's line of speech, "Now wait Hoth, let's see if we can help these poor guys a little more huh? Now what can we do to help you guys out?"BR
Vlah'doery amiabley* "You gave me my life, what more can I ask?"BR
Azure smiled, "How about we take you to shore?"BR
Karn chuckled. "That'd be fine."BRBR
The skiff headed to the not so distant shore with the sun setting on the horizon. With the sky a dark blue, the ship hit the sandy shore. BRBR
Vlah'do hopped off the skiff, "Well, thanks for the lift. I'll just get my stuff and we can be off."BR
"I have your small black case and your pack. What's in them?" Karn asked.BR
Vlah'do looked at him, "The pack has some stuff that we might need along the way, like a first aid kit and tools and such. The case has my sax in it."BR
Karn looked confused, "Sax?"BR
Vlah'do clarified, "Alto Saxophone. It's a musical instrument."BR
"You'll have to show me later. By the way, what was in that pack you had with you?"BR
Vlah'do looked startled. "Where is that pack?"BR
Kanr shrugged, "I cut if from your belt when you started going down."BR
"The food was in there!" Vlah'do shouted, as he other three laughed.BRBR
Vlah'do frowned, "I'm serious, now we don't have anything to eat along the way."BR
Azure shook her head and waved a hand with a smile, "No need to worry, we've got some stuff you can take with you."BR
"Hope you like Pepsi..." Hoth murmered quietly to Karn and Vlah'do.BR
Just then, a voice from someone on shore hidden laughed, "What have we here?"BRBR
Two mantrins stepped out of the bushes followed by a motley group of assorted races including squemetan and human, all heavily armed. The lead mantrin was a burley male with a large scar across his left forearm. His ears were a little torn and a large band covered one in a rebelious way. He wielded a large katana. The female behind him was just as threatening. She carried a double bladed sword with a large hilt and very exquisitly detailed blade. There were no akrennians among them.BRBR
The lead mantrin smirked, "Looks like four able-bodied creatures. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Bild..."BR
The second mantrin scowled at him, "And don't you dare forget about me this time. It gives me a bad image when we depart unaquainted."BR
Bild gave her a slightly annoyed glance, "I was just getting to you me beauty. This is Sovwren, my mate. We run this ship o'er yonder."BR
Hoth's ears shot up as his eyes widened, "Pirates!"BR
A squemetan in the back of the group spoke up, "We don't like the term "pirates", we perfer "privateering corsairs"." The group laughed at this, as they slowly circled the group and soon had them surrounded. BRBR
Azure lay her ears back, glaring. "What do YOU want? We haven't got anything of value!" She growled, holding out her arms to show them she had nothing. BRBR
"I might be wantin that blaster o' yours." Bild smiled, holding out a hand. "'And it over."BRBR
Azure let her shoulders sag and unbuckled her blaster, muttering under her breath, as she reached behind her to unclip the buckle she flicked a comm at Hoth, landing it behind her leg. She grasped the belt of her holster and held it out with a scowl. "Fine, TAKE THE THING! UGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Azure growled lowly.BRBR
Hoth reached out with a leg and slid it towards himself, Azure began to make a big fuss over giving up her blaster, purposely attracting attention to herslf. Hoth carefully manuvered the comm towards Karn, motioning for him to take it behind his back. "Call for help." He hissed between his teeth. BRBR
An annoyed Azure had by now departed with her ear cuff, she made a very big deal about it, trying to buy time until the IArchAngel/I could give them some cover. She wasn't worried about her blaster, it had had a low charge when she'd last checked so the pirates would get maybe six shots out of it. BRBR
Karn didn't know what to do with the comm, but he studied it very carefully before pressing a button. A crackling sound issued from the small box in his hands. He tried not to look at it and keep it concealed in his hands, but he really didn't know what to do. He whispered into it, "Hello? Is anyone there? We need help fast!" After a few seconds with no reply, Karn started to despair.BRBR
Bild looked over Azure's blaster, "This thing is no good. It's so low on energy, I'll wager I could only get 5 shots with it. Oh well, one of you need a blaster?" He threw the blaster to one of his crew members.BRBR
The squemeta that had spoken up earlier stepped forward and walked over to Vlah'do, "I recognize you."BR
Vlah'do blinked, "You do? Where from?"
The squemeta replied, "Next week's obituaries." The crew again laughed. Akrennians and Squemetan had a long standing territorial feud that had gone on for decades.BRBR
Vlah'do glared, "I remember you. You took that university class with me. Advanced Astro-physics, remember?"BR
The squemeta thought for a moment, "So I did. What was your name again?"BR
"Vlah'do of Kodah." Vlah'do didn't know it, but it was customary for squemeta to always get to know their victims if they had something mailicious in mind. He smiled evily.BRBR
Bild cackled, "That's Wandrin, the first mate. You'd better get to know him because you'll be spending quite some time with him in the slave hold!"BRBR
Now the customary greetings were complete and Wandrin stepped closer to Vlah'do. He motioned to two other Squemetan and they grabbed Vlah'do's arms and held him as Wandrin frisked Vlah'do. His search yielded a small knife. Upon finding it he threw it in the sand and punched Vlah'do in the stomach. With that he turned away and released him. BRBR
Wandrin snarled, "If you don't watch it, I'm going to slit your throat with this!" He picked up Vlah'do's short knife.BRBR
***BRBR
A voice came in quietly through the comm.
"Hello? Who's this?" It was Rekk.BRBR
Karn quietly whispered back, "Azure, Hoth, Vlah'do and I are being held up, bring the ship and get us out of this!"BR
Rekk sounded confused, "Azure, Hoth and who? Okay, I'm coming."BRBR
***BRBR
Rekk walked in circles for a minute. "Aaaaah, @#%$. Okay.. bring the ship... briiing the ship.." He stared at the incomprehensible controls. "Yyyeah..." BRBR
***BRBR
Azure snarled in fury, tensing as if ready to lunge at the squemeta. "Leave 'im alone, crackerjack! Pick on someone your OWN size!" Hoth grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. Don't piss these guys off, Az. He mentally begged. Azure continued to growl, her short fur bristled. BRBR
"Looks like we've got a fiesty one here, guys." One of the crew smirked, gaining a few snickers from his crewmates. BR
Azure uttered a sharp oath in Akrennian aimed at the particular crewmember. Hoth's ears flicked back and forth before flattening. BRBR
Wandrin was surprised to say the least. Squemetan had earned a reputation for being excellent fighters. Trying to land a punch on a squematen was like hitting a brick wall because of their hard skeleton and carapace. Either this akrennian was ignorant, really brave or just stupid. Nonetheless, he didn't like it. Sovwren saw his concern and pulled a crew member close to him. "Listen, I want you to put those akrennians in chains. Don't waist your time with that... other one."BR
The conscript looked confused. "Chains my lady?"BR
"Yes Chains you blithering fool! Put them in chains!"BR
"Errr, I dont think we have any my lady."BR
"No chains? Bild, did you forget them again?"BRBR
Bild turned to Sovwren. "Yes darling, I forgot them. Never fear, we have them outgunned and outnumbered."BR
Sovwren kicked Bild lightly on the thigh. "You Dunderhead! We should always tie them when we take them to the ship!"BR
Bild started to look anoyed. "I'll take care of it my dear. Don't worry."BR
Sovwren gave him an malevolent glance and then looked away. She pointed her sword at Azure and motioned her to one side. "You, get over there." She pointed to Hoth. "You, over there."BRBR
Azure snarled. "Who thinks I'm going to LISTEN to YOU? Eh?" She was answered by the sword's tip pressing against her neck. BRBR
"I WILL cut off your head if I have to, AKRENNIAN." Sovwren glared.BRBR
"Azure, just do what she says." Hoth said, scowling at her. "Want to get us ALL killed?"BRBR
Azure grumbled under her breath and complied, grumbling all the way. "FINE!" BRBR
Bild started to grow impatient. "All right, lets get on wif it then. What do you say we do wid em sweety?" BR
Sovwren looked at Bild moderately irrated. "Dont Patronize me." She muttered. "All right. I say we take me back to the ship and sell em as slaves after collecting any valuables we can. Crew! Four to a man and make sure they dont get away or it'll be your parasite-ridden hide!" Fortunately for them, they hadn't seen either of the ships floating in the water.BRBR
Night had now fallen casting an eerie blue tint over the land. A particularly unkept mantrin from the crew approached Karn as the others were surrounded and taken. Behind him were three others. Karn could tell that he held higher status by the roguish pendant that swung casualy from his right ear and his authorative gait. BR"What have we here?" He said gruffly. "Looks like a tree skipper I once ate." which earned him a few laughs from his cohorts.BR
Karn panicked. He had the comm in his hands and knew he had to hide it before the pirates saw it. His mind raced for the perfect hiding place.BR
A squemata in group saw Karn put his head down and put his hands to his mouth. "Hey! What are you doing there?"BR Karn swallowed and looked up, deciding it was better not to answer the question.BR
The lead matrin cut in. "Okay, thats enough. Get him, and stay on him." He was surrounded and felt a blaster placed against his head. They lead him back to the main group and the mantrin approached Wandrin. "You see thisn's legs are so short and his arms are really weak. He's won't be much of a slave, he too weak." BRBR
Just keep telling yourslef that scum... He thought as he slowly reached into a hidden pocket he had sewn in his shorts and fingered his long, meanly curved Nautilaus knife. BR
With a flick of his wrist, he had the knife out and against the lead Mantrin's throat. In a quiet voice he whispered into his ear. "Don't make a sound mantrin. I'd just as soon kill you as look at you." The mantrin froze as his head tipped back slighty and Karn applied pressure. "Now, back away slowly with me. That's it, no false moves."BR
Wandrin saw what was happening and withdrew a blaster.BR
Karn, who had backed away from the rest of the group yelled out to him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you! I'll slide my knife across his throat!"BR
Wandrin kep his cool. "You know that from here I have a very clear shot at your head."BR
"You wouldn't risk it! Besides, don't you know that upon recieving a fatal injury, the muscles spasm and contract! If you shot me you'd be killing us both."BR
Bild obviously had some favor for this crew member. "Do as he says Wandrin. We dont want to loose poor old Vadhis."BR
Wandrin turned to him angrily. "You're just saying that because he is a mantrin too."BR
Bild waved his Katana at Wandrin angrily. "I'm the captain here and I say who does what! Leave him alone is what I say!"BR
Sovwren shouted over the argument. "You fools! They're getting away!"BR
Karn and Vadhis were gone. BRBR
Karn was on prone behind a bush. He had struggled Vadhis to the ground with the knife still at his throat and his face in the sand. The rest of the crew was still lingering around the Azure Hoth and Vlah'do. There seemed to be some sort of argument going on. Karn was utterly terrified but kep his cool and continued to utter threats into Vahdis's ear. BR
"One false move mantrin, and you die! Don't cross me scum, or I'll slid this blade across your ugly neck!" Karn was not a violent person but he deemed it necessary to intimidate Vadhis because he was probably a lot stronger than him and if he ever get between him and the knife he wouldn't stand a chance.BRBR
***BRBR
Bild was waving his katana in the air angrily and shaking it at Wandrin in a violent fashion. "You scurvy rat! Are you asking me to abandon one of my crew?!"BR
Wandrin calmly eyed the captain but kept his hand near his blaster. "Captain, if you'll look at it logically..."BR
"One of my crew is in danger and you want me to just leave him here on this forsaken planet?!?" He spat in the ground at Wandrin's feet. BR
Sovwren grabbed the quivering katana from Bild and threw it on the ground. "You fool! He's right. So what if he's a fellow mantrin? That... thing was really scrawny too, wouldn't make a decent slave. And now we have one less person to worry about."BR
Bild bent down unceremoniously to retrive his blade and grumbled under his breath. "Its just that it makes me look bad, sweet heart. Leaving one of my crew..."BR
"Why are you always so worried about your image?" She booted him lightly in the haunches as he bent over. Some of the crew sniggered. She waved her sword threateningly at them. "Don't laugh or I'll kick ALL of your sorry tails! Get them under your thumbs! Hop to it!" BRBR
***BRBR
Karn hid under the bushes as the large group trudged off into the night leaving him and Vadhis alone on the beach. BRBR
After some time had passed, Karn started to set up a camp. Not knowing what else to do, he had looked through Vlah'do's bag and found some food. He hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning. He kept Vadhis under his constant scruteny, always making him sit down so that he was at the advantage even though he had a knife.
Karn had found one of his favorite foods in the bag, took it out and started to prepare it. He saw Vadhis staring at him with an icy glare. "What are you mad about? I just liberated you from that mob of surely scum." BRBR
Vadhis did not reply. BR
"What's your name?" BR
Still no reply. BR
"You want some food?" Karn held out a protein bar to him. Vadhis reluctantly reached out to accept it but was surprised when he pulled it back and asked him again, "What's your name?"BR
"Vadhis." He took the bar and chewed on it thoughfully. He looked at what Karn was eating. It was an odd mixture of green limp flakes, yellow crispy flakes, hard elongated noodles and small brown chunks of meat. Vadhis looked at his dish in disgust. "What are you eating?"BR
"Taco salad!" Karn pulled out a blue plastic bag labeled slat and Vinegar chips and stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Here, as prisoner you have to eat these." BR
Vadhis was really hungry, so he opened the bag and started to munch. "Hey!" he smiled "These are good!" BR
"Let me have some!" Karn ate one and cringed. "Whoa! sooooo salty... I'm eighty percent water and I'd like to stay that way."BR
Vadhis grabbed the bag back. "Suit yourself."BRBR
***BRBR
Azure growled and jerked on the tight leather lead that had been placed around her neck, her hands were useless now, tied behind her back. Not quite tight enough to cut off her circulation, but tight enough that she couldn't wriggle her way out of them. Her lead tightened around her throat, cutting her growl to a wheeze abruptly. BRBR
"SHADDUP!" The crewmember holding the leather lead jerked on it so she had to stoop over and gasp like a fish out of water for breath. "Or I'll put this pretty blaster of yers t'use."BR
Hoth growled and his face twisted into a hideous scowl.BR
Bild slapped the crewmember roughly. "Aye, and after you do that I'll put this pretty sword of MINE t'use. Fool! Botch our profits will ye?!"BRBR
Vlah'do was getting treated very harshly by Wandrin who insisted on taking him by himself. The leather strap chafed against his neck and rubbed it raw. He would tug it violently whenever Vlah'do made the slightest movement and then shove him foreward. Wandrin had made a mistake in taking Vlah'do by himself though. Hoth and Azure were being led at the front by the rest of the crew who had them heavily guarded and surrounded, while Wandrin had his fun with Hoth.BRBR
Wandrin shoved Hoth foreward and then yanked on the strap, choking him. He stumbled and Wandrin kicked him in the back and he fell to the ground. "What's the matter akrennian? Can't stay on your feet? Won't you make a fine slave if you keep falling over! Maybe you and I should just end this right now." BRBR
Wandrin aimed a kick at him. The kick landed and Hoth caught his foot in his arms and tugged, making Wandrin fall over backwards. Hoth hurried to his feet and loosened the strap around his neck. Wandrin tried to scurry to his feet, but Hoth kicked him back to the ground before he could get up, wrapped the slack of the rope around his neck and ran. BRBR
He ran between the trees while dragging Wandrin by the neck across the forest loam. Away from the rest of the crew he ran, with Wandrin gurgling behind him. BR
Fortunately for him, there was thick carapace on his neck that saved his life, but he couldnt breath and so after a short amount of time, he passed out. Hoth stopped running when he realised that the figure he was dragging behind him had gone limp. BR
He stopped on a sandy beach. He had seen Karn escape and was formulating a plan. He would find Karn and they would help to rescue his mate and Vlah'do. They would have to act fast before they got to their ship. Hoth knew that Wandrin was not dead, but he didn't want to kill him, so instead, he struggled to take off the strap and put it around Wandrin's neck and tied the other end to a tree. He set off down the beach in search of Karn.BRBR
***BRBR
Rekk tried to correctly work the navigational controls of the ship, but he knew he'd eventually screw up somewhere. He shakily steered the ship closer to the ground. All at once he thought, How the hell am I going to land? BRBR
***BRBR
Azure made a gagging noise and wheezed, hoping to get them to loosen her lead a little more. She growled an obsenity in Akrennian at her captor, wishing she could get her hands around his throat. BRBR
***BRBR
Karn was about to take a bite of his salad when he remembered something. "Oh yeah, the comm..." After a little prodding, Karn was able to... produce the comm once again. It wasnt a pretty sight and Vadhis looked disgusted as he watched. "I just hope this thing still works..." He pressed a button. "Hello? Is anyone there?"BR
Rekk tried to manuever the ship to shore when he got this message. "I'm here. Who is this? What happened?"BR
"This is Karn. Azure and Hoth picked us up. We were surrounded by pirates and taken hostage. I escaped and now I have one of the pirates hostage." Vadhis reached into the bag and Karn smacked his hand with the flat of the blade and snarled. "Get out of the food! We dont have much!"BR
"What?"BR
"Nothing. You'll be looking for us then?"BR
"Yeah, I'll see look for you. It's just that... I'm not used to... these stupid..." Rekk struggled with the controls as the ship slowly banked downward. "Stupid controls... UP! Go UP!"BR
Fortunately for Rekk, he was really low and so his descent was very short before the ship hit the shore and skidded to a halt in the sand. "Ah....." Rekk muttered in despair.BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth scanned the beach from on top of a dune. Unfortunately he couldnt see very far in the night. He looked for tracks but was unable to find any; the beach was a smooth pattern of ripples. Hoth thought about his situation; he needed to find Karn so that they could get Vlah'do and Azure out of there. Where would I go if I were him? He looked into the ocean and noted were the sun had setted before setting off.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure and Vlah'do were kept under close guard by the remnant of the crew. Bild suddenly stopped and looked around. "Stripe me, where's Wandrin got himself too?"BR
Sovwren said, "We can't be bothered about him now, He can take care of himself."BR
Bild was fed up. "Now just a minute here!" He bellowed. "I've already abandoned one of my crew, I'm not leaeving my first mate!" BR
Surprisingly, Sovwren backed down.BR
Bild issued commands to his crew. "You two go see were he's got himself to. Until we find him we stay here!"BRBR
***BRBR
From the bushes a pair of eyes remained riveted on the crew. Behind these carefully scrutinizing eyes a thought swarmed like a swarm of angry bees. Squemetan! Here? It cant be! After studing the group for a short time, they disappeared. A heat sync was extracted from its chamber and left to cool as its owner lay prone in the undergrowth to plan and wait.BRBR
***BRBR
Wandrin stirred. He didn't realise what had happened and was terrified that he couldn't see. Then he realised that he was lying face down under a tree. It was pitch black. BR
He sat up. He was dazed very badly. He tried to move, but his movement was restricted by the leash tied around the tree and his neck. He took the leash in his hands and tried to break it. After failing, he realised that he still had Vlah'do's knife in his pocket. With rapidly regaining strength, he whipped out the knife and sliced the leash in a single fluid movement. BR
He felt his neck. A small crack in the carapace had started to form on the throat. He fingered the crack which was just below a small chink in the plating which was natural to all Squemetan. That Akrennian will pay... He could see a set of tracks leading off into the night's sands. He could also see where he had come from.BRBR
Should I go back and join the rest of the crew? No, that Akrennian will have to be killed. The Captain wouldnt like it, but it must be so. He must die for this act by my hand and my hand alone... He headed off in a jog down the beach were the tracks led. BRBR
***BRBR
Copyrights: In order of appearance
BR
Vlah'do, Karn, Bild, Sovwren, etc, Habbek, Pacal, and the entire court, the igonian species, the squemetan species, Tahu-Dazu, and the the city's name are (C) Ootzer 2001BR
Azure, Hoth, Hikori, Lirpa, Iris, Yavin, and the rest of the ArchAngel crew are copyright (C) Arrow Tibbs 2001BR
Rekk is copyright (C) Rekk 2001BRBR
The Road to Nami Muro
BRBR
New Earth didn't turn out as was planned. The planet itself was much larger than old Earth making the times longer than people where used to. A normal day was thirty-two hours long, and a year was four hundred four days long. The atmosphere wasn't fully conditioned, and the entire planet was hotter than normal, which made it so only the plants adapted to that climate could survive. Basically, from the equator to almost right next to the poles the planet was jungle. More of the planet was water than the old Earth, there were five oceans and nine seas; only about one third of New Earth was land. BRBR
Vlah'do, an Akrennian, and Karn, an Igonian waded to shore after having apparently taken a swim. Vlah'do was coughing and choking and spitting water while Karn quietly stood beside him and offered any assistance he could. They walked ashore and looked around. They were on a shore that met a plain that slowly turned to forest.BRBR
Vlah'do was the first to speak, "We managed to escape with our lives..."BR
Karn laughed at this.BRBR
Vlah'do frowned, "I'm serious."BR
"You thought you were going to drown back there?" Karn asked.BR
"Yes!" Was the responce.BR
"Well, you might have had it not been for the emergency escape hatch," Karn smiled sarcastically.BRBR
Vlah'do was clearly not amused. "We cant just head out like this, we need some supplies. The IVoid Sprite/I is designed to be less dense than water, it should float to the surface. That's where you come in."BR
"You want me to swim out to the ship and get some stuff?" BR
Vlah'do paused, thinking. "No, I want you to take me out there and I'll get the things we need. Is that going to be too hard?"BR
Karn rubbed his hands together, "No problem at all. You can swim right?" he smiled, "I'll just grab you if you start to go down for the third time."BR
"Not funny."BR
"I can see the ship over there."BR
Vlah'do looked out to sea, "I see it. Let's go."BRBR
Vlah'do and Karn dove in and swam about three hundred meters to the ship, where he and Karn did a series of dives into the half-submerged space ship, and eventually were able to salvage a small black case and two large backpacks, along with various other items. Including a large knife, a blaster and Vlah'do's wallet.BR
Vlah'do sat on the Sea Sprite's hull and caught his breath.BRBR
"Are you ready?" Karn asked.BR
Vlah'do was breathing heavily, "One sec... This is why I brought you along, to help me get this stuff back."BR
Karn snorted, "Oh come on. It's maybe two hundred meters away from the beach!"BR
Vlah'do frowned, "Hey! I'm not as... bouyant as you."BR
"Granted, but still, swimming is a skill that you have to have."BR
"Maybe on Tahu-Dzo pal, but on P'Lochda's space platforms there isn't barely enough water for you to take a bath in."BR
"Well, no better time like the present to learn how."BRBR
Karn gracefully dove in the water with the case and a back-pack and was ten meters away before Vlah'do was even able to get his pack on. The akrennian jumped in.BR
After jumping in, he sank under the water and was unable to get to the surface. He tried to unfasten the pack but one of the waist straps got caught on his belt.BR
Vlah'do managed only to get his head above water and gasp out, "Karn... Help!"
BRBR
***BRBR
Azure leaned on the console and sighed, murmering along with the song on the ArchAngel's speakers. She was so jaded. "Hoth, I can't believe you keep leaving open gaps between shipments...A month?" BRBR
"YOU'RE complaining about NOT having work?" Hoth cocked his head incredulously. "That's a first." His eyeridges raised as he nodded slowly.BR
Azure shrugged. "Well, at least we'd be doing something...."BR
"I thought you LIKED a lazy period, what's the universe coming to? Azure, do you feel alright?" Hoth put a hand to Azure's forehead in a joking immitation of a human mother.BRBR
Azure frowned at her mate and looked back out the veiwport. "I'm just bored to death...Pepsi hasn't kicked in yet..."BR
Hoth's ears swiveled for a moment, as if making a decision, before moving up. He patted Azure's ears fondly and looked out the veiwport. Suddenly he stood up and leaned closer to the thick glass. "What's that...?" He muttered.BR
Azure's ears perked and she craned her neck to see. "What? Where?"BR
"There! See!" Hoth pointed at a specific point beyond the ArchAngel's nose. He keyed in the area into the computer and got a magnifide image. The pair looked at each other for a moment before bolting towards the huge cargo bay, and the skiff. BRBR
***BRBR
Karn had not heard Vlah'do's cry for help, but turned in time to see him sinking into the depths, being dragged down by the pack tangled in his belt. He swam frantically over to him and grabbed him underneath the arms and tried to pull him to the surface. After struggling with the load, he drew a knife and cut the strap of the backpack and sent it hurtling to the depths below. Karn did his best to keep Vlah'do's head above the water, but it wouldn't have mattered because he had stopped breathing.BRBR
Completely unexpectedly, a skiff pulled up along side Karn as he dragged the limp body of Vlah'do through the water. BRBR
Azure smiled slightly, "Need a lift?" Azure and Hoth helped Karn drag the lifeless form of Vlah'do out of the water and sprawled him across the deck of the small boat. BRBR
"What happened?" Hoth asked, looking at Vlah'do with worry written on his face even though he didn't even know Vlah'do.BR
Karn stammered, "He - he was drowning." He quickly got to work. He knew what to do, but didn't know how to do it to an Akrennian. Where was his lungs? Where would he have to press to get him breathing again? There was no time for second thoughts, so Karn started CPR the best he could.BRBR
Azure yelled to her mate, "Hoth, go get a first aid kit!"
Hoth swiftly went to the bow of the skiff to retrieve one from the compatment there as Karn desperately struggled to get Vlah'do to breathe. He was not succeding.BRBR
Azure shook her head rapidly, "Nono, its right... HERE!" Azure practiacally struck Vlah'do in the stomach with the palm of her hand. A promising cough escaped Vlah'do's mouth as well as a lot of water. Karn looked at Azure with amazement as Vlah'do came around. He propped up Vlah'do's head and the water drained from his mouth all over the floor of the boat. BR
Hoth returned with a small metal box with a red cross on it. BRBR
Azure waved a hand at him, "No need Hoth, he's coming around nicely..."BR
Hoth grumbled, "Always sending me on stupid errands..."BR
Karn saw Vlah'do slowly coming around. "Yeah, hes going to be fine. But tell me, where did you guys come from?"
"We were out over those mountains over there and picked you p on our scopes," Hoth said over his shoulder as he headed for the bow again.BR
"I guess that we're really lucky..." Karn said. Vlah'do coughed and stirred.BRBR
"So tell me, what are you two doing in the middle of the ocean? Is that your ship over there?" Azure asked.BR
Karn nodded, "Yeah, we hit some bad weather landing. There was a sulphur storm and we got damaged and crashed. But the ship remained intact and we went back to get some supplies and he started to drown on the way back. We're headed to Nami Muro."
Hoth raised an eyeridge, "You're pretty off course. Nami Muro is a long way."BRBR
***BRBR
Rekk walked down into the cargo bay. "Been lookin for you guies everywhe-..." He stopped and looked around, the bay empty.BRBR
***BRBR
Vlah'do woke and groaned, the floor of the skiff obviously wasn't that soft, "What... where am I?"
Karn looked down at him, "Try not to move to much Vlah'do, you swallowed a lot of seawater."
"Tell me about it. I think I may have lowered the sea level a little. Man, no need to worry about global warming any more." Vlah'do said, looking up at Hoth and Azure. "Whoa, who are you?"BRBR
"We're from the ship over there, The IArchAngel/I." Azure jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "I'm Azure." She grinned, holding out a hand.BR
"Hoth." Hoth nodded his his head in greeting. BRBR
Vlah'do accepted Azure's hand and thought she was trying to help him up. When he pulled, she fell on top of him. They both scrambled to their feet, embarrased.BR
"Err, excuse me." Vlah'do said, flattening his ears.BR
Hoth snickered as Vlah'do shook his and Azure's hands with an embaressed look. "Ummm, I'd like to thank you for... saving me. But tell me, what happened? How did I... did you get here?"BRBR
Karn vollunteered an explaination, "You got dragged down and I dragged you to the surface and when I was going back to shore their boat pulled up. How did you guys get here?"BR
"We were over those mountains and saw your ship, and you trying to fish with your mouth, so we lowered the skiff and here we are." Hoth smiled.BR
Azure locked her eyes on the igonian and other akrennian. "I have some things I'd like to know, but first, please introduce yourselves."BRBR
"I am Karn, an igonian from Tahu-Dzo. I am a diplomat sent to negotiate an animal release treaty." Karn said.BR
Vlah'do smiled and bowed elegantly. "And I am Vlah'do of Kodah. Humble servant to my father's whims. He sent me with Karn to this planet. Why he chose me I dont know, I think he had some alterior motive behind it because I see no reason why I had to come and not..."BR
Karn cut in with, "But that's not important. I'm sure that your father's intentions are soley for your benefit. Like he says, we can learn a lot from the humans."BR
Vlah'do looked surprised. "How do you know so much about my old man?BR
Karn smiled, "You aren't the only one who wondered through space for years. Before you were even a conception your father met my father who was also a diplomat. I vaguely remember meeting him in my childhood just after he married your mother and became a Kodah. "BR
"Wow, you know more about my dad than I do." Vlah'do said, clearly amazed.BR
Hoth spoke up, "Well, this is all very heart warming, but we left our ship unattended and Rekk inside. I think we'd better return to it before he does something..."
Azure put out a hand to stop her mate's line of speech, "Now wait Hoth, let's see if we can help these poor guys a little more huh? Now what can we do to help you guys out?"BR
Vlah'doery amiabley* "You gave me my life, what more can I ask?"BR
Azure smiled, "How about we take you to shore?"BR
Karn chuckled. "That'd be fine."BRBR
The skiff headed to the not so distant shore with the sun setting on the horizon. With the sky a dark blue, the ship hit the sandy shore. BRBR
Vlah'do hopped off the skiff, "Well, thanks for the lift. I'll just get my stuff and we can be off."BR
"I have your small black case and your pack. What's in them?" Karn asked.BR
Vlah'do looked at him, "The pack has some stuff that we might need along the way, like a first aid kit and tools and such. The case has my sax in it."BR
Karn looked confused, "Sax?"BR
Vlah'do clarified, "Alto Saxophone. It's a musical instrument."BR
"You'll have to show me later. By the way, what was in that pack you had with you?"BR
Vlah'do looked startled. "Where is that pack?"BR
Kanr shrugged, "I cut if from your belt when you started going down."BR
"The food was in there!" Vlah'do shouted, as he other three laughed.BRBR
Vlah'do frowned, "I'm serious, now we don't have anything to eat along the way."BR
Azure shook her head and waved a hand with a smile, "No need to worry, we've got some stuff you can take with you."BR
"Hope you like Pepsi..." Hoth murmered quietly to Karn and Vlah'do.BR
Just then, a voice from someone on shore hidden laughed, "What have we here?"BRBR
Two mantrins stepped out of the bushes followed by a motley group of assorted races including squemetan and human, all heavily armed. The lead mantrin was a burley male with a large scar across his left forearm. His ears were a little torn and a large band covered one in a rebelious way. He wielded a large katana. The female behind him was just as threatening. She carried a double bladed sword with a large hilt and very exquisitly detailed blade. There were no akrennians among them.BRBR
The lead mantrin smirked, "Looks like four able-bodied creatures. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Bild..."BR
The second mantrin scowled at him, "And don't you dare forget about me this time. It gives me a bad image when we depart unaquainted."BR
Bild gave her a slightly annoyed glance, "I was just getting to you me beauty. This is Sovwren, my mate. We run this ship o'er yonder."BR
Hoth's ears shot up as his eyes widened, "Pirates!"BR
A squemetan in the back of the group spoke up, "We don't like the term "pirates", we perfer "privateering corsairs"." The group laughed at this, as they slowly circled the group and soon had them surrounded. BRBR
Azure lay her ears back, glaring. "What do YOU want? We haven't got anything of value!" She growled, holding out her arms to show them she had nothing. BRBR
"I might be wantin that blaster o' yours." Bild smiled, holding out a hand. "'And it over."BRBR
Azure let her shoulders sag and unbuckled her blaster, muttering under her breath, as she reached behind her to unclip the buckle she flicked a comm at Hoth, landing it behind her leg. She grasped the belt of her holster and held it out with a scowl. "Fine, TAKE THE THING! UGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Azure growled lowly.BRBR
Hoth reached out with a leg and slid it towards himself, Azure began to make a big fuss over giving up her blaster, purposely attracting attention to herslf. Hoth carefully manuvered the comm towards Karn, motioning for him to take it behind his back. "Call for help." He hissed between his teeth. BRBR
An annoyed Azure had by now departed with her ear cuff, she made a very big deal about it, trying to buy time until the IArchAngel/I could give them some cover. She wasn't worried about her blaster, it had had a low charge when she'd last checked so the pirates would get maybe six shots out of it. BRBR
Karn didn't know what to do with the comm, but he studied it very carefully before pressing a button. A crackling sound issued from the small box in his hands. He tried not to look at it and keep it concealed in his hands, but he really didn't know what to do. He whispered into it, "Hello? Is anyone there? We need help fast!" After a few seconds with no reply, Karn started to despair.BRBR
Bild looked over Azure's blaster, "This thing is no good. It's so low on energy, I'll wager I could only get 5 shots with it. Oh well, one of you need a blaster?" He threw the blaster to one of his crew members.BRBR
The squemeta that had spoken up earlier stepped forward and walked over to Vlah'do, "I recognize you."BR
Vlah'do blinked, "You do? Where from?"
The squemeta replied, "Next week's obituaries." The crew again laughed. Akrennians and Squemetan had a long standing territorial feud that had gone on for decades.BRBR
Vlah'do glared, "I remember you. You took that university class with me. Advanced Astro-physics, remember?"BR
The squemeta thought for a moment, "So I did. What was your name again?"BR
"Vlah'do of Kodah." Vlah'do didn't know it, but it was customary for squemeta to always get to know their victims if they had something mailicious in mind. He smiled evily.BRBR
Bild cackled, "That's Wandrin, the first mate. You'd better get to know him because you'll be spending quite some time with him in the slave hold!"BRBR
Now the customary greetings were complete and Wandrin stepped closer to Vlah'do. He motioned to two other Squemetan and they grabbed Vlah'do's arms and held him as Wandrin frisked Vlah'do. His search yielded a small knife. Upon finding it he threw it in the sand and punched Vlah'do in the stomach. With that he turned away and released him. BRBR
Wandrin snarled, "If you don't watch it, I'm going to slit your throat with this!" He picked up Vlah'do's short knife.BRBR
***BRBR
A voice came in quietly through the comm.
"Hello? Who's this?" It was Rekk.BRBR
Karn quietly whispered back, "Azure, Hoth, Vlah'do and I are being held up, bring the ship and get us out of this!"BR
Rekk sounded confused, "Azure, Hoth and who? Okay, I'm coming."BRBR
***BRBR
Rekk walked in circles for a minute. "Aaaaah, @#%$. Okay.. bring the ship... briiing the ship.." He stared at the incomprehensible controls. "Yyyeah..." BRBR
***BRBR
Azure snarled in fury, tensing as if ready to lunge at the squemeta. "Leave 'im alone, crackerjack! Pick on someone your OWN size!" Hoth grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. Don't piss these guys off, Az. He mentally begged. Azure continued to growl, her short fur bristled. BRBR
"Looks like we've got a fiesty one here, guys." One of the crew smirked, gaining a few snickers from his crewmates. BR
Azure uttered a sharp oath in Akrennian aimed at the particular crewmember. Hoth's ears flicked back and forth before flattening. BRBR
Wandrin was surprised to say the least. Squemetan had earned a reputation for being excellent fighters. Trying to land a punch on a squematen was like hitting a brick wall because of their hard skeleton and carapace. Either this akrennian was ignorant, really brave or just stupid. Nonetheless, he didn't like it. Sovwren saw his concern and pulled a crew member close to him. "Listen, I want you to put those akrennians in chains. Don't waist your time with that... other one."BR
The conscript looked confused. "Chains my lady?"BR
"Yes Chains you blithering fool! Put them in chains!"BR
"Errr, I dont think we have any my lady."BR
"No chains? Bild, did you forget them again?"BRBR
Bild turned to Sovwren. "Yes darling, I forgot them. Never fear, we have them outgunned and outnumbered."BR
Sovwren kicked Bild lightly on the thigh. "You Dunderhead! We should always tie them when we take them to the ship!"BR
Bild started to look anoyed. "I'll take care of it my dear. Don't worry."BR
Sovwren gave him an malevolent glance and then looked away. She pointed her sword at Azure and motioned her to one side. "You, get over there." She pointed to Hoth. "You, over there."BRBR
Azure snarled. "Who thinks I'm going to LISTEN to YOU? Eh?" She was answered by the sword's tip pressing against her neck. BRBR
"I WILL cut off your head if I have to, AKRENNIAN." Sovwren glared.BRBR
"Azure, just do what she says." Hoth said, scowling at her. "Want to get us ALL killed?"BRBR
Azure grumbled under her breath and complied, grumbling all the way. "FINE!" BRBR
Bild started to grow impatient. "All right, lets get on wif it then. What do you say we do wid em sweety?" BR
Sovwren looked at Bild moderately irrated. "Dont Patronize me." She muttered. "All right. I say we take me back to the ship and sell em as slaves after collecting any valuables we can. Crew! Four to a man and make sure they dont get away or it'll be your parasite-ridden hide!" Fortunately for them, they hadn't seen either of the ships floating in the water.BRBR
Night had now fallen casting an eerie blue tint over the land. A particularly unkept mantrin from the crew approached Karn as the others were surrounded and taken. Behind him were three others. Karn could tell that he held higher status by the roguish pendant that swung casualy from his right ear and his authorative gait. BR"What have we here?" He said gruffly. "Looks like a tree skipper I once ate." which earned him a few laughs from his cohorts.BR
Karn panicked. He had the comm in his hands and knew he had to hide it before the pirates saw it. His mind raced for the perfect hiding place.BR
A squemata in group saw Karn put his head down and put his hands to his mouth. "Hey! What are you doing there?"BR Karn swallowed and looked up, deciding it was better not to answer the question.BR
The lead matrin cut in. "Okay, thats enough. Get him, and stay on him." He was surrounded and felt a blaster placed against his head. They lead him back to the main group and the mantrin approached Wandrin. "You see thisn's legs are so short and his arms are really weak. He's won't be much of a slave, he too weak." BRBR
Just keep telling yourslef that scum... He thought as he slowly reached into a hidden pocket he had sewn in his shorts and fingered his long, meanly curved Nautilaus knife. BR
With a flick of his wrist, he had the knife out and against the lead Mantrin's throat. In a quiet voice he whispered into his ear. "Don't make a sound mantrin. I'd just as soon kill you as look at you." The mantrin froze as his head tipped back slighty and Karn applied pressure. "Now, back away slowly with me. That's it, no false moves."BR
Wandrin saw what was happening and withdrew a blaster.BR
Karn, who had backed away from the rest of the group yelled out to him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you! I'll slide my knife across his throat!"BR
Wandrin kep his cool. "You know that from here I have a very clear shot at your head."BR
"You wouldn't risk it! Besides, don't you know that upon recieving a fatal injury, the muscles spasm and contract! If you shot me you'd be killing us both."BR
Bild obviously had some favor for this crew member. "Do as he says Wandrin. We dont want to loose poor old Vadhis."BR
Wandrin turned to him angrily. "You're just saying that because he is a mantrin too."BR
Bild waved his Katana at Wandrin angrily. "I'm the captain here and I say who does what! Leave him alone is what I say!"BR
Sovwren shouted over the argument. "You fools! They're getting away!"BR
Karn and Vadhis were gone. BRBR
Karn was on prone behind a bush. He had struggled Vadhis to the ground with the knife still at his throat and his face in the sand. The rest of the crew was still lingering around the Azure Hoth and Vlah'do. There seemed to be some sort of argument going on. Karn was utterly terrified but kep his cool and continued to utter threats into Vahdis's ear. BR
"One false move mantrin, and you die! Don't cross me scum, or I'll slid this blade across your ugly neck!" Karn was not a violent person but he deemed it necessary to intimidate Vadhis because he was probably a lot stronger than him and if he ever get between him and the knife he wouldn't stand a chance.BRBR
***BRBR
Bild was waving his katana in the air angrily and shaking it at Wandrin in a violent fashion. "You scurvy rat! Are you asking me to abandon one of my crew?!"BR
Wandrin calmly eyed the captain but kept his hand near his blaster. "Captain, if you'll look at it logically..."BR
"One of my crew is in danger and you want me to just leave him here on this forsaken planet?!?" He spat in the ground at Wandrin's feet. BR
Sovwren grabbed the quivering katana from Bild and threw it on the ground. "You fool! He's right. So what if he's a fellow mantrin? That... thing was really scrawny too, wouldn't make a decent slave. And now we have one less person to worry about."BR
Bild bent down unceremoniously to retrive his blade and grumbled under his breath. "Its just that it makes me look bad, sweet heart. Leaving one of my crew..."BR
"Why are you always so worried about your image?" She booted him lightly in the haunches as he bent over. Some of the crew sniggered. She waved her sword threateningly at them. "Don't laugh or I'll kick ALL of your sorry tails! Get them under your thumbs! Hop to it!" BRBR
***BRBR
Karn hid under the bushes as the large group trudged off into the night leaving him and Vadhis alone on the beach. BRBR
After some time had passed, Karn started to set up a camp. Not knowing what else to do, he had looked through Vlah'do's bag and found some food. He hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning. He kept Vadhis under his constant scruteny, always making him sit down so that he was at the advantage even though he had a knife.
Karn had found one of his favorite foods in the bag, took it out and started to prepare it. He saw Vadhis staring at him with an icy glare. "What are you mad about? I just liberated you from that mob of surely scum." BRBR
Vadhis did not reply. BR
"What's your name?" BR
Still no reply. BR
"You want some food?" Karn held out a protein bar to him. Vadhis reluctantly reached out to accept it but was surprised when he pulled it back and asked him again, "What's your name?"BR
"Vadhis." He took the bar and chewed on it thoughfully. He looked at what Karn was eating. It was an odd mixture of green limp flakes, yellow crispy flakes, hard elongated noodles and small brown chunks of meat. Vadhis looked at his dish in disgust. "What are you eating?"BR
"Taco salad!" Karn pulled out a blue plastic bag labeled slat and Vinegar chips and stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Here, as prisoner you have to eat these." BR
Vadhis was really hungry, so he opened the bag and started to munch. "Hey!" he smiled "These are good!" BR
"Let me have some!" Karn ate one and cringed. "Whoa! sooooo salty... I'm eighty percent water and I'd like to stay that way."BR
Vadhis grabbed the bag back. "Suit yourself."BRBR
***BRBR
Azure growled and jerked on the tight leather lead that had been placed around her neck, her hands were useless now, tied behind her back. Not quite tight enough to cut off her circulation, but tight enough that she couldn't wriggle her way out of them. Her lead tightened around her throat, cutting her growl to a wheeze abruptly. BRBR
"SHADDUP!" The crewmember holding the leather lead jerked on it so she had to stoop over and gasp like a fish out of water for breath. "Or I'll put this pretty blaster of yers t'use."BR
Hoth growled and his face twisted into a hideous scowl.BR
Bild slapped the crewmember roughly. "Aye, and after you do that I'll put this pretty sword of MINE t'use. Fool! Botch our profits will ye?!"BRBR
Vlah'do was getting treated very harshly by Wandrin who insisted on taking him by himself. The leather strap chafed against his neck and rubbed it raw. He would tug it violently whenever Vlah'do made the slightest movement and then shove him foreward. Wandrin had made a mistake in taking Vlah'do by himself though. Hoth and Azure were being led at the front by the rest of the crew who had them heavily guarded and surrounded, while Wandrin had his fun with Hoth.BRBR
Wandrin shoved Hoth foreward and then yanked on the strap, choking him. He stumbled and Wandrin kicked him in the back and he fell to the ground. "What's the matter akrennian? Can't stay on your feet? Won't you make a fine slave if you keep falling over! Maybe you and I should just end this right now." BRBR
Wandrin aimed a kick at him. The kick landed and Hoth caught his foot in his arms and tugged, making Wandrin fall over backwards. Hoth hurried to his feet and loosened the strap around his neck. Wandrin tried to scurry to his feet, but Hoth kicked him back to the ground before he could get up, wrapped the slack of the rope around his neck and ran. BRBR
He ran between the trees while dragging Wandrin by the neck across the forest loam. Away from the rest of the crew he ran, with Wandrin gurgling behind him. BR
Fortunately for him, there was thick carapace on his neck that saved his life, but he couldnt breath and so after a short amount of time, he passed out. Hoth stopped running when he realised that the figure he was dragging behind him had gone limp. BR
He stopped on a sandy beach. He had seen Karn escape and was formulating a plan. He would find Karn and they would help to rescue his mate and Vlah'do. They would have to act fast before they got to their ship. Hoth knew that Wandrin was not dead, but he didn't want to kill him, so instead, he struggled to take off the strap and put it around Wandrin's neck and tied the other end to a tree. He set off down the beach in search of Karn.BRBR
***BRBR
Rekk tried to correctly work the navigational controls of the ship, but he knew he'd eventually screw up somewhere. He shakily steered the ship closer to the ground. All at once he thought, How the hell am I going to land? BRBR
***BRBR
Azure made a gagging noise and wheezed, hoping to get them to loosen her lead a little more. She growled an obsenity in Akrennian at her captor, wishing she could get her hands around his throat. BRBR
***BRBR
Karn was about to take a bite of his salad when he remembered something. "Oh yeah, the comm..." After a little prodding, Karn was able to... produce the comm once again. It wasnt a pretty sight and Vadhis looked disgusted as he watched. "I just hope this thing still works..." He pressed a button. "Hello? Is anyone there?"BR
Rekk tried to manuever the ship to shore when he got this message. "I'm here. Who is this? What happened?"BR
"This is Karn. Azure and Hoth picked us up. We were surrounded by pirates and taken hostage. I escaped and now I have one of the pirates hostage." Vadhis reached into the bag and Karn smacked his hand with the flat of the blade and snarled. "Get out of the food! We dont have much!"BR
"What?"BR
"Nothing. You'll be looking for us then?"BR
"Yeah, I'll see look for you. It's just that... I'm not used to... these stupid..." Rekk struggled with the controls as the ship slowly banked downward. "Stupid controls... UP! Go UP!"BR
Fortunately for Rekk, he was really low and so his descent was very short before the ship hit the shore and skidded to a halt in the sand. "Ah....." Rekk muttered in despair.BRBR
***BRBR
Hoth scanned the beach from on top of a dune. Unfortunately he couldnt see very far in the night. He looked for tracks but was unable to find any; the beach was a smooth pattern of ripples. Hoth thought about his situation; he needed to find Karn so that they could get Vlah'do and Azure out of there. Where would I go if I were him? He looked into the ocean and noted were the sun had setted before setting off.BRBR
***BRBR
Azure and Vlah'do were kept under close guard by the remnant of the crew. Bild suddenly stopped and looked around. "Stripe me, where's Wandrin got himself too?"BR
Sovwren said, "We can't be bothered about him now, He can take care of himself."BR
Bild was fed up. "Now just a minute here!" He bellowed. "I've already abandoned one of my crew, I'm not leaeving my first mate!" BR
Surprisingly, Sovwren backed down.BR
Bild issued commands to his crew. "You two go see were he's got himself to. Until we find him we stay here!"BRBR
***BRBR
From the bushes a pair of eyes remained riveted on the crew. Behind these carefully scrutinizing eyes a thought swarmed like a swarm of angry bees. Squemetan! Here? It cant be! After studing the group for a short time, they disappeared. A heat sync was extracted from its chamber and left to cool as its owner lay prone in the undergrowth to plan and wait.BRBR
***BRBR
Wandrin stirred. He didn't realise what had happened and was terrified that he couldn't see. Then he realised that he was lying face down under a tree. It was pitch black. BR
He sat up. He was dazed very badly. He tried to move, but his movement was restricted by the leash tied around the tree and his neck. He took the leash in his hands and tried to break it. After failing, he realised that he still had Vlah'do's knife in his pocket. With rapidly regaining strength, he whipped out the knife and sliced the leash in a single fluid movement. BR
He felt his neck. A small crack in the carapace had started to form on the throat. He fingered the crack which was just below a small chink in the plating which was natural to all Squemetan. That Akrennian will pay... He could see a set of tracks leading off into the night's sands. He could also see where he had come from.BRBR
Should I go back and join the rest of the crew? No, that Akrennian will have to be killed. The Captain wouldnt like it, but it must be so. He must die for this act by my hand and my hand alone... He headed off in a jog down the beach were the tracks led. BRBR
***BRBR